With the National Assembly suggesting that the 2027 presidential and governorship elections be held in November 2026, Nigeria's election schedule may soon be altered. This would be a major shift from the customary election schedule.
The Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters jointly held a public hearing in Abuja on Monday to submit the idea, which is included in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025.
If approved, it would be the biggest alteration to Nigeria's political calendar since 1999, switching from the customary February–March elections to November elections. This would essentially give the courts six months to complete all petitions prior to the handover on May 29, 2027.
According to the draft amendment, elections for the positions of governor and president should take place no later than 185 days before to the expiration of the current administration.
"Elections into the office of the President and Governor of a State shall be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office," according to Section 4(7) of the proposed law.
The next presidential and gubernatorial elections are scheduled for November 2026, according to a straightforward calculation.
To ensure a synchronized election schedule across the country, a comparable article, Section 4(5), establishes the same 185-day guideline for elections into the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
The purpose of the proposed change, according to Hon. Adebayo Balogun, chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, is to put an end to the practice of swearing in lawmakers who are still embroiled in legal disputes.
Our goal is to complete all petitions for the election by May 29. A shorter schedule of 90 days for tribunals, 60 days for appeals, and the remaining window for Supreme Court rulings is what we are suggesting. In this manner, no one assumes office with an open case," Balogun clarified.
Lawmakers also intend to revise Sections 285 and 139 of the 1999 Constitution, which presently specify election petition procedures, to provide legal support for the move.
The public meeting evolved into a forceful plea for digital changes to Nigeria's electoral system, even beyond the revised dates.
In an effort to restore public confidence and increase transparency, stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organizations, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), campaigned for the mandatory use of electronic voting and real-time result transmission.
"The Presiding Officer shall transmit election results, including the total number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation both electronically and manually," according to Section 60(5) of the proposed amendment.
Any officer who produces unstamped result sheets or fails to send results faces a fine of ₦1 million, a year in jail, or both in order to compel compliance.
Early voting, which permits security personnel, INEC officials, accredited observers, journalists, and ad hoc staff to cast ballots up to 14 days prior to election day, is another novel aspect of the bill.
Lawmakers claim that this provision guarantees that people who work at the polling station will not be denied the right to vote.
Key players were in a rare state of agreement during the public hearing.
Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, a representative for INEC, said that early polls and digital voting would "enhance operational planning and boost credibility" and that the recommendations were both timely and forward-looking.
Similar opinions were expressed by political parties and civil society organizations, which referred to the revisions as "a bold step towards credible, court-free transitions."
Nigeria's upcoming elections will follow a new blueprint if the proposed reforms pass: they will be held earlier, more intelligently, and more cleanly.
The reforms offer something uncommon to a nation that has long been beset by post-election stress and drawn-out legal proceedings: clarity and closure before to taking the oath of office.
"This is a change of destiny for the Nigerian elections, not just a change of date." At the hearing, one spectator said.
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