Senate Sets Up Panel to Draft Nigeria’s Response to United States’ Genocide Claims
*Clarifies misconceptions over alleged religious persecution
*Finalises electoral act amendment before December 2025, says new law’ll guide 2027 polls
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Senate yesterday constituted a 12-member ad-hoc committee to develop a comprehensive position paper on Nigeria’s response to growing international concerns over alleged state-sponsored persecution of Christians.
The decision followed a closed-door session where lawmakers deliberated on recent claims by the United States Government suggesting possible acts of genocide against Christians in parts of Nigeria.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who announced the committee composition, said the position paper must be grounded in verifiable facts and data to accurately reflect the country’s security realities.
The document, he explained, would guide Nigeria’s legislative engagement with both the Executive and international partners.
Members of the committee included Senators Victor Umeh, Yemi Adaramodu, Aniekan Bassey, Niyi Adegbonmire, Abdul Ningi, Titus Zam, Tony Nwoye, Tahir Munguno, and Asuquo Ekpenyong, among others.
Akpabio said the committee would not only prepare Nigeria’s official response but also lead a delegation to the United States to engage with members of the U.S. Congress and clarify what he described as “misleading narratives” about religious persecution in Nigeria.
Akpabio said, “There are misconceptions that need to be corrected. We are dealing with a complex terrorist threat, and it’s important that our counterparts in the U.S. understand that the violence affects both Christians and Muslims.”
The Senate’s move follows a motion sponsored last week by Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), which sparked an extensive debate on how Nigeria is portrayed internationally in relation to its internal security challenges.
Lawmakers expressed concern that such reports, though sometimes arising from genuine humanitarian concern, often distorted the reality of Nigeria’s multi-faceted insecurity and unfairly damage the country’s global reputation and economy.
The ad-hoc committee is expected to submit its report soon, providing a unified legislative position that would help Nigeria navigate ongoing diplomatic and interfaith discussions triggered by the U.S. allegations.
In another development, leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has assured Nigerians that the ongoing amendment to the Electoral Act, 2022, would be concluded on or before December 2025, well ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bamidele, who represented Ekiti Central Senatorial District, gave the assurances on in a statement following President Bola Tinubu’s formal request to the Senate to confirm Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Tinubu’s request followed the unanimous approval of Amupitan’s appointment by the Council of State last Wednesday, succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu whose tenure recently ended.
Bamidele explained that the National Assembly was determined to avoid the late transmission of the Electoral Act amendment to the Presidency, which hindered its full passage under the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The only reason the previous administration did not sign the last aspect of the Electoral Amendment Bill in 2022 was because it was transmitted to the presidency too close to the general elections.
“Before then, we had sent an earlier version that was signed. However, when observations were made, particularly concerning the disenfranchisement of statutory delegates, the National Assembly made corrections and sent it again.
“Late President Buhari then observed that the timing was too close to the election and that signing it might be misinterpreted by the public. That was why it was not assented to. Between now and December 2025, we will ensure that this amendment process is concluded early enough to be used for the 2027 elections,” he said.
