Senate Slashes Election Notice To 300 Days, Keeps Manual Results Backup

The Senate on Tuesday approved an amendment to Clause 28 of the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, reducing the statutory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days. According to Ireporter Online, the adjustment gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) greater flexibility in scheduling the 2027 general elections, potentially between December 2026 and January 2027.

The revised Clause 28 stipulates that the Commission must, not later than 300 days before an election, publish a notice in each state and the Federal Capital Territory detailing the election date and specifying where nomination papers are to be submitted. The amendment followed a motion on the rescission and recommittal of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026, moved by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.

Bamidele explained that the previous 360-day notice period could have scheduled the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections during Ramadan, potentially affecting voter turnout, logistics, and stakeholder participation. The motion also highlighted inconsistencies in the Long Title and several clauses of the bill, including Clauses 6, 9, 10, 22, 23, 28, 29, 32, 42, 47, 51, 60, 62, 64, 65, 73, 77, 86, 87, 89, 93, and 143, which impacted cross-referencing, serial numbering, and overall consistency.

During deliberations, discussions around Clause 60, governing the transmission of election results, briefly stalled. Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC, Abia South) opposed a proviso allowing Form EC8A to serve as the primary basis for collation when electronic transmission fails. After a division vote, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that 55 senators supported retaining the manual backup provision, while 15 opposed it.

With the amendments approved, the Senate passed the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2026, providing a legal framework for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.