The House of Representatives has moved to amend Nigeria’s electoral process with a proposal that all major elections be conducted on a single day starting from 2027.
Lens News reports that the bill, which scaled second reading, seeks to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to provide for simultaneous elections for the offices of President, Governors, National Assembly members, State Houses of Assembly, and Local Government Councils.
The proposal also introduces new campaign finance limits, pegging presidential election spending at ₦10 billion and governorship spending at ₦3 billion. It further mandates that elections must hold between 210 and 30 days before the expiration of an incumbent’s tenure, while all election petitions are to be concluded within 90 days.
Lawmakers backing the amendment argue that a single-day election will cut costs, reduce voter apathy, and minimize disruption to national life caused by staggered polls.
However, some stakeholders warn that the proposal could overwhelm the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), raising concerns about logistics, security, and possible errors if too many elections are held simultaneously.
The bill now proceeds to the next stage of legislative debate before passage into law.
