Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the National Assembly has proposed that presidential and gubernatorial elections be conducted in November 2026, instead of the usual February or March of the election year.
The proposal is contained in the draft amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, discussed on Monday during a one-day public hearing held by the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Senator Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South).
According to Section 4(7) of the proposed amendment, “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.”
With the current administration’s tenure ending on May 29, 2027, the 185-day window means the next presidential and gubernatorial elections would fall around November 2026.
Similarly, Section 4(5) of the proposal provides that federal and state legislative elections “shall be held not later than 185 days before the date on which each of the Houses stands dissolved.”
Lawmakers explained that the proposed adjustment aims to allow sufficient time for resolving election disputes before winners are sworn in.
Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, said the amendment seeks to end the recurring issue of post-inauguration litigations.
“We are proposing that all election litigations be concluded before the swearing-in of declared winners,” Balogun stated.“To achieve this, we are recommending that the current 180 days allowed for tribunal judgments be reduced to 90 days, while appellate and Supreme Court decisions should each take no more than 60 days — all within 185 days before inauguration.”
If passed, the amendment would mark a major shift in Nigeria’s electoral timetable and could reshape the country’s political calendar ahead of the 2027 polls.
