The House of Representatives has introduced a bold reform through the proposed Electoral Act 2025, aiming to conduct all five major elections—presidential, senatorial, House of Representatives, governorship, and House of Assembly—on a single day in 2027.
Sponsored by Bayo Balogun, Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, the bill passed its second reading and seeks to replace the Electoral Act No 13 of 2022.
Key provisions include a N50 million fee for registering new political parties and campaign spending caps of N10 billion for presidential candidates and N3 billion for governorship candidates.
The bill mandates elections be held between 210 and 30 days before the end of an officeholder’s term, with election petitions resolved within 90 days.
To reduce by-elections, parties can nominate replacements for lawmakers who resign or die within 60 days, with INEC issuing certificates of return.Campaign financing rules limit individual or entity donations to N500 million, with penalties of up to N10 million or imprisonment for false affidavits.
Legal timelines are tightened: petitions must be filed within 21 days of result declaration, pre-election suits within 14 days, and appeals concluded within 60 days.
Courts cannot halt elections due to pending disputes.The bill retains the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System but allows voters to use downloadable voter IDs with QR codes or other valid IDs.
Election results must be transmitted both electronically and manually, with officers facing fines of N500,000 or six months imprisonment for non-compliance.
Collation officers must verify voter and vote data against transmitted records, resolving disputes with original results.
To strengthen party democracy, parties must submit registers 30 days before primaries, and political appointees are barred from being delegates or candidates in conventions.
Candidates can challenge false affidavits, with disqualification for both the candidate and their party if constitutional requirements are unmet. Frivolous petitions may incur N10 million fines for petitioners and their counsel.
Courts cannot declare a candidate winner without full participation in all election stages. National emergencies are excluded from legal timelines.
Special voting days will be arranged for security personnel, INEC officials, observers, journalists, and ad-hoc staff.
The Electoral Act 2025 promises a transformative shift in Nigeria’s electoral system, streamlining processes and enhancing accountability.
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