The National Assembly is proposing a major change to Nigeria’s election calendar through amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act.
This would move presidential and governorship elections from the usual February or March to November 2026.
The draft amendment, currently under review, stipulates that such elections must now take place no later than 185 days before the end of the incumbent’s tenure on May 29.
Also, several stakeholders advocated for the inclusion of electronic voting and the electronic transmission of results
This is to promote transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
According to Section 4(7) of the proposed amendment, elections for the offices of the president and governors will be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of their terms.
This adjustment means the next presidential and governorship elections would occur in November 2026.
Additionally, Section 4(5) mandates that National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections be conducted not later than 185 days before the end of their tenures.
Also, to legally reinforce these changes, the joint committee stated that the amendment adds new subsections—Section 27 (5–7).
This follows alterations to Sections 76, 116, 132, and 178 of the Constitution.
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It will effectively transferring the authority to determine election timelines from the Constitution to the Electoral Act.
