The Senate has amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, slashing the notice of election requirements by 60 days, from 360 days to 300, leaving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the flexibility to fix the election dates between December 2026 and January 2027.

The amended clause 28 states that “the Commission shall, not later than 300 days before the day appointed for holding of an election under this Bill, publish a notice in each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory – stating the date of the election; and (b) appointing the place at which nomination papers are to be delivered.”

The amendment was effected on Tuesday during the clause-by-clause consideration of the reworked Electoral Act Amendment bill after the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, raised a motion on the Rescission and Re-Committal of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Enactment) Bill, 2026.

Opeyemi underscored that upon critical review of the passed bill, the 360-day notice requirement prescribed in Clause 28 could result in the scheduling of the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections during the Ramadan period.

According to him, holding elections during Ramadan could negatively affect voter turnout, logistical coordination, stakeholder participation, and the overall inclusiveness and credibility of the electoral process.

The motion also highlighted discrepancies discovered 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. The identified issues reportedly affected cross-referencing, serial numbering, and internal consistency within the legislation.

Rowdy Session

Earlier, proceedings in the Senate were momentarily stalled as lawmakers began clause-by-clause consideration of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026, following a motion to rescind the earlier amendment.

The motion to rescind the bill was formally seconded on Tuesday, paving the way for the upper chamber to dissolve into the committee of the whole for detailed reconsideration and reenactment of the proposed legislation.

During the session, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, reeled out the clauses one after the other for deliberation.

However, the process stalled when at clause 60, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South), raised a point of order, drawing immediate attention on the floor.

Following the intervention, murmurs spread across the chamber as lawmakers began speaking in small groups and approaching the Senate President’s desk for consultations.

The session immediately moved into a closed door session.

The Senate also passed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026.

Before the passage, there was a rowdy session as the upper chamber resumed proceedings with a demand for division over Clause 60 raised by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (ADC/Abia South).

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, stated that he believed the demand had previously been withdrawn, but several opposition senators immediately objected to that claim.

Citing Order 52(6), the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, argued that it would be out of order to revisit any provision on which the Senate President had already ruled.

This submission sparked another uproar in the chamber, during which Senator Sunday Karimi had a brief face-off with Abaribe.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, then reminded lawmakers that he had sponsored the motion for rescission, underscoring that decisions previously taken by the Senate are no longer valid.

He maintained that, consistent with his motion, Senator Abaribe’s demand was in line.

Akpabio further suggested that the call for division was merely an attempt by Senator Abaribe to publicly demonstrate his stance to Nigerians.

The senate president sustained the point of order, after which Abaribe rose in protest and was urged to formally move his motion.

Rising under Order 72(1), Abaribe called for a division on Clause 60(3), specifically concerning the provision that if electronic transmission of results fails, Form EC8A should not serve as the sole basis, calling for the removal of the proviso that allows for manual transmission of results in the event of network failure.

During the division, Akpabio directed senators who supported the caveat to stand.

He then asked those opposed to the caveat to rise.

Fifteen opposition senators stood in opposition.

However, when the votes were counted, the Senate President announced that 15 senators were not in support of the proviso, while 55 senators voted in support of it.

Election Dates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on February 13 released the official timetable for Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections, outlining key dates for voting, party primaries, campaigns, and voter registration.

According to the schedule, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on Saturday, February 20, 2027. Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will follow two weeks later on Saturday, March 6, 2027.

But the dates raised concerns by some Nigerians, especially Muslims, as they noted that they fall within the holy month of Ramadan.

They emphasised that the physical demands of fasting may impact voter turnout, logistical issues, observers, and electoral officers’ efficiency.

Notable among the voices is former vice president and a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, who urged the commission to reconsider the February 20, 2027 date, citing concerns over its overlap with the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan.

Consequently, the umpire, in a statement issued on Friday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said it had taken due notice of concerns expressed by stakeholders regarding the coincidence of the scheduled dates with certain nationally recognised holidays and observances.

According to the statement, INEC said it “is currently undertaking consultations and may, where necessary, seek appropriate legislative intervention to address the concerns raised,” while ensuring that any adjustment remains consistent with constitutional and statutory requirements. (Channels TV, excluding headline)

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