Electoral Act Talks Stalls as NASS Moves to Shift 2027 Polls to January Over Ramadan Clash

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The much-anticipated harmonisation meeting of the Conference Committee on the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, could not hold on Monday, throwing fresh uncertainty over the fate of key electoral reforms and prompting federal lawmakers to consider a review of the 2027 general elections timetable.

The deadlock came as senators and members of the House of Representatives failed to formally sit or reach any agreement ahead of Tuesday’s crucial plenary, where “very critical decisions” are expected to be taken.

Multiple sources confirmed that the meeting, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Senate President Conference Room 3.01, did not hold due to the absence of some members of the House of Representatives.

A highly placed member of the committee, when contacted, said there was no agreement because the meeting did not hold.

Some senators reportedly arrived at the venue at the scheduled time and waited.

However, both chairmen of the electoral committees, Senator Simon Bako Lalong and Hon. Adebayo Balogun joined the meeting late.

After waiting for several minutes, the senators relocated to Lalong’s office.

About 20 minutes later, they reconvened and agreed to reschedule the meeting to 3:00 p.m.

By 3:30 p.m., some senators, including Jibrin Isah, Abba Moro and Tahir Monguno, were seated, but once again no House members showed up.

 At about 4:00 p.m., Lalong arrived, and Balogun later joined him, still without other House committee members.

The two leaders held a brief closed-door meeting lasting about 10 minutes before dispersing, effectively ending the day without any harmonised position.

Sources hinted that a late-night meeting outside the National Assembly complex might be convened in a last-minute effort to align positions before plenary on Tuesday.

The conference committee is expected to reconcile differences in some clauses of the bill, as well as its explanatory memorandum and long title.

However, the most contentious provision remains Clause 60(3), which deals with the electronic transmission of election results.

The House had earlier passed a version mandating real-time electronic transmission of results directly from polling units to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) IReV portal.

But on February 4, 2026, the Senate amended the clause by deleting the words “real-time,” opting instead for a more flexible framework that retains electronic transmission while allowing discretion in implementation.

Both chambers had constituted 12-member conference committees as required by law before final passage and transmission for Presidential assent.

The Senate delegation, appointed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is chaired by Lalong and includes Senators Orji Uzor Kalu, Adamu Aliero, Asuquo Ekpenyong, Aminu Iya Abbas, Tokunbo Abiru, Niyi Adegbonmire, Ipalibo Banigo and Onyekachi Nwebonyi, among others.

As tensions over electronic transmission persist, another major issue is set to dominate Tuesday’s emergency deliberations, a proposed review of the 2027 elections timetable released by INEC.

Federal lawmakers are said to be planning to debate a shift of the general elections to January next year to avoid a clash with the end of Ramadan celebrations, following criticism that one of the scheduled election dates coincides with Eid festivities.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) had faulted the timetable, warning that fixing an election on a major religious celebration could suppress voter turnout and inflame tensions.

A member of the Senate who spoke on conditions of anonymity said, “Shifting the date of the election from February 2027 to January of the same year, is necessary to avoid rancour and that is what we are going to do at plenary tomorrow (Tuesday) among other issues.”

Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, in an announcement on Sunday, said the plenary would address “very crucial decisions on national issues,” fuelling speculation that both the Electoral Act harmonisation report and the election timetable may be reconsidered.

With the harmonisation committee yet to conclude its assignment and public pressure mounting ahead of the 2027 polls, all eyes are now on the National Assembly.

Lawmakers must decide whether to insist on mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results and whether to adjust the election calendar to accommodate religious sensitivities.

For now, Monday’s failed meeting has only heightened suspense in what is shaping up as one of the most politically charged legislative battles ahead of the next general elections.