The Senate has amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days, giving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) flexibility to set dates between December 2026 and January 2027.
The change was made to avoid scheduling the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections during Ramadan, which could affect voter turnout and logistics. The amendment followed detailed review of inconsistencies in several clauses of the bill.
The Senate also faced a rowdy session over Clause 60 regarding the electronic transmission of results and manual backup procedures. After a division vote, 55 senators supported the clause, while 15 opposed.
INEC has scheduled the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, February 20, 2027, with governorship and State Assembly polls on Saturday, March 6, 2027. Stakeholders, including former VP Atiku Abubakar, expressed concern about the overlap with Ramadan. INEC is consulting on possible adjustments.
