Nigeria’s electoral calendar is set for a significant change as the National Assembly proposes to hold the 2027 presidential and governorship elections in November 2026—six months before the end of the current administration’s tenure.
This proposed move, which is part of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, aims to ensure that “all election litigations be concluded before the May 29, 2027 swearing-in of new leaders,” thereby ending the recurring issue of pending court cases dragging into a new government’s term.
The draft amendment was unveiled on Monday during a public hearing organized jointly by the Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
Under the amendment, elections for the offices of President and Governor would be held “not later than 185 days before the expiration of the incumbents’ tenure.”
This calculation establishes November 2026 as the new polling date, which is three months earlier than the traditional February or March election period.
Section 4(7) of the draft specifies:“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.”
A similar provision in Section 4(5) will apply to elections for the National and State Assemblies, harmonizing the electoral timetable nationwide.
Hon. Adebayo Balogun, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, explained that the reform’s goal is to guarantee that “all disputes arising from the polls are settled before the winners take office.”
He elaborated on the timeline:“We are proposing that all tribunal judgments be concluded within 90 days, appeals within 60 days, and Supreme Court decisions within the remaining days, ensuring everything is wrapped up within 185 days,” he said.
To support this reform, the National Assembly will also amend Sections 285 and 139 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently regulate election dispute timelines.
The lawmakers are also seeking to modernize Nigeria’s voting process by making electronic voting and electronic transmission of results mandatory, a long-standing request from electoral stakeholders.
Section 60(5) of the draft bill provides that:“The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results, including total number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation both electronically and manually.”
Failure to comply would incur strict penalties, including “one year’s imprisonment, a ₦1 million fine, or both, for any official who issues unstamped or unverified ballot papers or result sheets.”
A new element in the bill is the introduction of early voting, which would allow essential personnel like “security personnel, INEC staff, accredited observers, journalists, and ad-hoc officials to cast their ballots up to 14 days before election day.”
This feature is intended to ensure that those engaged in essential election duties “do not lose their right to vote.”
The proposals received strong support from participants at the hearing, including Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, the representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who said the reforms would “enhance electoral credibility, allow better planning, and minimise post-election pressure on the courts.”
Civil society groups and political parties also praised the amendments as “courageous and timely,” noting that moving the elections forward would give Nigeria’s democracy “breathing space and credibility.”
If passed, the proposed Electoral Act amendments would not only change Nigeria’s political calendar but also “redefine its democratic culture—giving room for orderly elections, timely justice, and smoother transitions of power.”
For many observers, the change “signals a new seriousness in electoral governance.”
One participant noted the profound impact of the change:“It’s more than a date change,” one participant said. “It’s about delivering elections that Nigeria can finally trust.”
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