Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril said the upper chamber would consider proposals to increase requirements for filling election petitions.

Mr Jibril spoke at the National Conference on Tuesday in Abuja and said the Senate would impose punitive costs for unmeritorious cases.

The theme of the conference is “Matters Arising from 2023 Elections and Associated Socioeconomic Challenges,” organised by the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN).

Mr Jibril, represented by his Special Adviser on Policy and Monitoring, Bashir Fagge, said the Senate would consider proposals to expand the time limit for determining petitions.

”These reforms will aim to ensure that only genuine grievances proceed to the tribunal while maintaining access to justice,” he said.

On the current economic situation, Mr Jibril said the Senate was fully aware of Nigeria’s pressing economic difficulties and security challenges.

”We hope to develop a detailed roadmap to ensure that the legislature supports, promotes, and oversees the strategic objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

”A major thematic area of our agenda is economic growth and development. The Senate understands the depth of expectations from Nigerians looking desperately for solutions.

”We will engage vigorously with the executive, private sector and civil society groups to deliver socioeconomic reforms that will restore stability and launch us towards sustainable development,” the Senate president said.

Earlier, the president of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN), Abdur Rasheed Hadiyatullah, said the 2023 elections had generated many issues, which the conference will allow participants to critically assess.

Also, Senator Ahmed Yarima said the conference’s objective was to educate Muslims and Nigerian society on the outcome of the 2023 elections.

The former governor of Zamfara expressed optimism that the conference would proffers solutions to some of the country’s political and economic challenges.

Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and former chairman of the National Hajj Commission, Abdullahi Mohammed, were in attendance.

(NAN)