Senate To Adjust 2027 Election Timeline

Senate To Adjust 2027 Election Timeline Senate To Adjust 2027 Election Timeline
Senate To Adjust 2027 Election Timeline. Credit: BBC

The Nigerian Senate, during its emergency sitting on Tuesday, dissolved into the Committee of the Whole to address discrepancies and logistical concerns regarding the 2027 general election timetable.

The dissolution followed a motion for rescission and recommittal by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who suggested that the Senate discuss and address the various concerns that have arisen in recent times concerning the timetable for the anticipated 2027 election.

INEC had announced that Nigeria’s 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for February 20, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections are on March 6, 2027. Those dates are within the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

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Nigerian Senate Reconsiders Electoral Bill
A view of the Nigerian National Assembly premises during the election of the Senate President of the 10th Nigeria National Assembly in Abuja on June 13, 2023. (Photo by KOLA SULAIMON / AFP)

Lawmakers have raised concerns that the 360-day requirement could push the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections into Ramadan, the 30-day holy fasting period observed by Muslims worldwide. 2027 Ramadan is expected to run from early February to early March.

According to the lawmakers, the coincidence could hinder voter turnout and complicate logistical coordination for INEC. The possibility has also ignited debates among others, including Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who urged INEC to reconsider the February 20 date. There have, however, been opposing views, with some arguing that religious observances should not dictate election schedules.

While the Senate held its emergency session, a group of Nigerians gathered at the National Assembly gates, demanding that this recommittal also restore the mandatory “real-time” electronic transmission clause. In their midst was Omoyele Sowore, a two-time Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress and convener of the RevolutionNow movement.

News Central earlier reported that the group that gathered outside the National Assembly were teargassed by security operatives.

Author

  • Olayide Oluwafunmilayo Soaga is a Nigerian journalist with four years of professional experience. She reports on health, gender, education and development, with a focus on impact-driven storytelling.

    She was runner-up for the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) Best Solutions Journalism Award in West Africa in 2024 and a finalist for the 2025 West Africa Media Excellence Awards.

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