Nigeria’s next presidential and governorship elections may be conducted in November 2026, following a proposal by the National Assembly to move the polls six months earlier than the usual February or March schedule.

The proposal was unveiled on Monday during a public hearing jointly organised by the Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters in Abuja.

Contained in the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, the move seeks to ensure that all election petitions are resolved before the May 29, 2027 handover date.

According to the draft 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.”

This provision effectively places the general elections in November 2026, roughly six months before the expiration of the current administration’s tenure.

Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, explained that the proposal is aimed at ensuring that “all manner of election litigations are dispensed with before the swearing in of winners.”

He disclosed that the National Assembly also plans to amend Sections 285 and 139 of the 1999 Constitution to reduce the time allocated for election petitions cutting tribunal judgments from 180 to 90 days, appellate court decisions from 90 to 60 days, and capping the entire judicial process at 185 days.

Other key provisions in the amendment include early voting for specific categories of Nigerians, such as security personnel, INEC staff, accredited journalists, and election observers, who would cast their votes at least 14 days before the main election.

Significantly, the proposal also seeks to make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, with penalties for non-compliance.

The proposed Section 60(5) states: “The Presiding Officer shall transmit the results, including the total number of accredited voters, to the next level of collation both electronically and manually.”

Any officer who issues unstamped ballot papers or result sheets could face a one-year jail term or a N1 million fine.

Stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) represented by Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, backed the proposed reforms particularly the compulsory e-transmission of results and the introduction of electronic voting describing them as vital steps to enhance credibility and reduce post-election disputes.

In July, a similar proposal to amend the 1999 Constitution to conduct all elections in Nigeria on the same day in 2027 sparked mixed reactions.

While opposition parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), supported the idea, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected it, warning of potential risks.

That initiative, led by the House Committee on Constitution Review chaired by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, was part of a broader constitutional amendment process that followed consultations across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.

If passed, the new proposal would require INEC to conduct presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly elections on a single day, a move expected to reduce costs and curb post-election bandwagon effects.

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