The House of Representatives has proposed that all five major elections in 2027 be conducted on a single day, in a sweeping reform outlined in the proposed Electoral Act 2025. If passed, the amendment would empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship and House of Assembly elections simultaneously.
The bill, sponsored by Bayo Balogun, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, passed second reading in the House and seeks to repeal the Electoral Act No 13 of 2022. Among other key changes, the proposed law mandates a N50 million administrative fee for political associations applying for registration as political parties. It also sets spending limits for candidates, including N10 billion for presidential candidates and N3 billion for governorship aspirants.
Further provisions include the conduct of elections not earlier than 210 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the current officeholder’s term. Petitions arising from elections must be resolved within 90 days of filing. The bill also seeks to curb the frequent conduct of by-elections by allowing political parties to nominate replacements when lawmakers resign or die, provided the replacement is submitted to INEC within 60 days.
The proposed legislation outlines new rules for campaign financing, prohibiting donations exceeding N500 million from any individual or entity. It also criminalises false affidavits and misrepresentations by candidates, with penalties including fines up to N10 million or imprisonment.
The bill sets strict timelines for pre-election and election petition matters. Petitions must be filed within 21 days of result declaration, and pre-election suits within 14 days of the contested action. Appeals must be concluded within 60 days. The proposed law also bars courts from halting elections pending the resolution of legal disputes.
On the use of technology, the bill retains the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for accrediting voters but is silent on the mandatory use of permanent voter cards. Voters will be allowed to present either a downloadable voter identification with a QR code or other recognised forms of ID.
Election results must be transmitted both electronically and manually from polling units to collation centres. Officers who violate this provision risk fines of at least N500,000 or six months imprisonment. Collation officers must also verify and confirm that the number of accredited voters and recorded votes match the data transmitted from polling units. Disputes during collation will be resolved using original results and accreditation records.
The bill also addresses internal party democracy and discipline, mandating the submission of party registers at least 30 days before primaries and barring the use of any register not submitted to INEC. Political appointees are prohibited from serving as delegates or being voted for in party conventions.
Candidates can challenge the submission of false information in affidavits by opponents. If a court determines that constitutional requirements were not met, the candidate and the sponsoring party will be disqualified.
To discourage baseless legal challenges, penalties of up to N10 million may be imposed on petitioners and their legal counsel if their suit falls outside the recognised grounds for contesting an election.
The bill emphasises that courts cannot declare as winner any candidate who did not fully participate in all stages of the election. It also exempts periods of national emergencies, disasters or war from the computation of legal timelines under the Act.
INEC will be required to issue certificates of return to nominated replacements without conducting by-elections, provided parties comply with the replacement procedure. Special voting arrangements will be introduced for security personnel, INEC officials, observers, journalists and ad-hoc staff who will vote on designated dates prior to the main election.
The proposed Electoral Act 2025 represents one of the most comprehensive electoral reforms in recent history, with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s political and electoral landscape.
