Doris Israel
Uyo, A’Ibom State (Nigeria): The National Assembly has proposed a significant shift in Nigeria’s electoral calendar, recommending that the 2027 Presidential and Governorship elections be held in November 2026, instead of the traditional February or March timeline.
The proposal is contained in the draft amendment to the 2022 Electoral Act, which stipulates that the two elections must take place not later than 185 days before the end of the current administration’s tenure on May 29, 2027.
The change was discussed during a one-day public hearing by the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Electoral Matters.
According to the proposal, moving the elections to November would allow enough time for all election disputes to be resolved before the swearing-in of newly elected leaders.
The draft also recommends that cases arising from elections be concluded within 185 days, with tribunal judgments reduced to 90 days, appeal judgments to 60 days, and Supreme Court rulings completed within the same timeline.
Lawmakers further proposed early voting for groups such as security officers, journalists, and electoral officials who may be on duty during elections.
This early voting would take place not later than 14 days before the main election date.
The amendments also push for compulsory electronic transmission of results, a step intended to strengthen transparency and reduce manual errors.
It also prescribes penalties for election officials who distribute unstamped ballot papers or falsify results, with offenders facing a one-year jail term, a fine of ₦1 million, or both.During the public hearing, several stakeholders, including representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), supported the idea of electronic voting and result transmission as part of efforts to improve the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.