With only a few weeks remaining in 2025 and less than four weeks before the National Assembly adjourns for the year, it appears that lawmakers are falling short of meeting their scheduled objectives for the widely discussed amendment of the Electoral Act prior to the 2027 general election. Despite repeated assurances and outlined targets, lawmakers
With only a few weeks remaining in 2025 and less than four weeks before the National Assembly adjourns for the year, it appears that lawmakers are falling short of meeting their scheduled objectives for the widely discussed amendment of the Electoral Act prior to the 2027 general election.
Despite repeated assurances and outlined targets, lawmakers have taken little real action to pass the bill into law.
At a meeting with the European Union delegation, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu stated that the House aims to implement electoral reforms through the amendment to the Act by December 2025, but progress remains limited.
During his speech, Abbas expressed to a European Union delegation in Abuja that changes were anticipated, asserting with confidence that he and his colleagues in the legislature were prepared to address the obstacles related to amending the legislation. He noted that the House had decided to separate electoral amendments from other constitutional matters and aimed to advance these changes by December.
“We agreed that because of some of the amendments that we want to bring forth, some are by way of Act of Parliament, and some are by constitutional amendment – we will fast track and isolate the electoral issues and take them as one single entity and push them forward for the National Assembly to deliberate and take a position and then send them to the sub-nationals (state Houses of Assembly) to also consider them within a short timeframe, between now and December,” he said.
He confidently assured that reforms would give INEC and stakeholders sufficient time to implement legislative changes before the 2027 general elections.
Although the EU delegation, led by Barry Andrews, a Member of the European Parliament, told lawmakers that “time is of the essence,” the Speaker’s assurance was a direct response to EU concerns about the House’s ability to deliver on the promise.
Like its counterparts, the Senate explicitly promised that the Electoral Act amendment would be finished by December 2025 when it passed the bill to a second reading in October 2025.
Given the assurances provided, it would be reasonable to anticipate that lawmakers would move swiftly to reform the electoral laws, thereby ensuring free, fair, and credible elections. However, as the year draws to a close, Nigerians continue to await legislative action to fulfil these commitments and to restore public confidence in the nation’s electoral process.
According to the timeline established by the National Assembly, lawmakers indicated that voting on the constitutional amendment would commence in October, with a primary focus on electoral reforms. However, the legislative body did not adhere to the proposed schedule.
Lawmakers suggested that voting would take place in November, but as the month ends, there is no indication they will proceed with this important action. They have missed the timeline they previously set and were expected to follow.
Although legislators have conducted hearings on the bills with input from various stakeholders in recent months, none of the proposed electoral law reforms have progressed beyond the committee stage. Consequently, the bills remain unable to advance to a third reading or subsequent legislative phases.
The Electoral Reform
The proposed bills to reform electoral laws are comprehensive in scope and aim to address several challenges identified during the 2023 general elections. Consequently, there is significant anticipation among Nigerians regarding the implementation of these reforms.
The proposed reforms aim to hold all elections—presidential, gubernatorial, National Assembly, and state assembly—on the same day. Lawmakers believe this could cut costs by up to 40% and boost voter turnout, as more citizens participate in presidential elections than state-level ones.
Secondly, the proposals would permit independent candidates to participate. Civil society groups have long called for this, saying Nigeria’s political parties often exclude qualified candidates. Including independents could increase voter options, although it might also fragment the vote.
Lawmakers have suggested moving the authority to appoint the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the President to the National Judicial Council. This change aims to reduce political influence during appointments and may help enhance public trust in INEC’s independence in the future.
Additional considerations involve the explicit inclusion of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the mandatory electronic transmission of results from polling units to collation centres. Lawmakers are also advocating for stricter penalties for electoral offenders through the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, ensuring that all pre-election disputes are settled before the swearing-in of officeholders, forming a Local Government Elections Commission, and reserving parliamentary seats for women and persons with disabilities.
The Electoral Bill 2025 or 2026? It is expected to implement more rigorous audit and accountability standards for INEC, formally recognise prisoner voting rights, increase penalties for electoral offences, establish clearer guidelines for party primaries, and raise campaign spending limits. Although the Bill introduces several substantive reforms, certain provisions present concerns regarding clarity, enforcement, and the potential for increased financial influence in electoral processes.
A Trend About Repeating Itself
Due to past delays in electoral reforms and constitutional amendments, it is uncertain if the proposed law will be enacted before next year’s electoral activities, despite its comprehensive nature. INEC is expected to give 12 months’ notice for elections under the 2022 Electoral Act.
History indicates that the current National Assembly may be repeating the actions of past assemblies. For example, the delay in electoral reform can be seen in the attempt to amend the Electoral Act in 2018 ahead of the 2019 general elections. The process took longer than expected, and former President Muhammadu Buhari rejected it on the grounds that political parties were not consulted during the repeal procedures, which could result in confusion and disorder.
The Electoral Act 2022 was completed more quickly than its predecessor; the Ninth Assembly revised and passed the amendments in January 2022, and President Buhari signed it into law on 25 February 2022, within eight weeks of its passage by the National Assembly.
Many are concerned that Nigeria’s rigorous law amendment process may delay electoral reform until after the 2027 general elections.
Since the electoral reform is still far from completion, doubts about whether reform will occur before the next election are justified, particularly as politicians are already preparing for their 2026 campaigns.
Ultimately, decisions regarding amendments to the Electoral Act will be influenced by the perspective and priorities of the incumbent government. If the administration believes that the current legislation is advantageous for its electoral objectives, it may delay initiating any amendments. Conversely, if proposed changes are perceived to enhance its prospects of success at the polls, the National Assembly may expedite the legislative process, with the President likely to grant prompt approval.
