Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday amended the Electoral Act to adjust the timetable for the 2027 general elections, reducing the statutory notice period from 360 days to 300 days.
The amendment affects Clause 28 of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and grants the Independent National Electoral Commission greater flexibility to schedule elections between December 2026 and January 2027.
The move is aimed at preventing the presidential and National Assembly elections—earlier fixed for February 20, 2027—from coinciding with the Ramadan period, which lawmakers said could affect voter turnout, logistics, and inclusiveness.
The decision followed a motion for rescission and recommittal sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who cited discrepancies in the bill and concerns over the election timetable. The Senate subsequently dissolved into the Committee of the Whole for clause-by-clause reconsideration.
Under the amended Clause 28, INEC must now publish election notices not later than 300 days before polling day, while notices for by-elections must be issued at least 14 days before the poll.
The provision on substitution of candidates in by-elections was also retained, limiting it strictly to cases of death.
Meanwhile, the Senate again rejected mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results.
After a heated and, at times, rowdy session, lawmakers voted 55–14 to retain a proviso allowing manual transmission of results where network coverage fails, making the signed Form EC8A the primary record in such instances.
Presiding over the session, Godswill Akpabio described the vote as a demonstration of democratic debate, noting that the Senate had, for the second time in one week, reaffirmed its stance against compulsory real-time electronic transmission of election results.
