House of Representatives Proposes Single-Day Elections for 2027

The House of Representatives has introduced a bill that could significantly reshape Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to The Nation on Monday, July 28, 2025, the proposed legislation seeks to consolidate all five major elections—presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and state House of Assembly—into a single voting day.

If passed, the bill would empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct these elections simultaneously, eliminating the current staggered schedule.

Sponsored by Hon. Bayo Balogun, the bill—titled Electoral Act 2025—also proposes substantial financial reforms. Political associations seeking registration would be required to pay a ₦50 million administrative fee. Campaign spending would be capped at ₦10 billion for presidential candidates, ₦3 billion for governorship hopefuls, and ₦500 million, ₦250 million, and ₦30 million for senatorial, House of Representatives, and state assembly aspirants, respectively. Individual donations to candidates would be limited to ₦500 million.

To reduce the cost and frequency of by-elections, the bill allows political parties to nominate replacements for legislators who resign, pass away, or become incapacitated—subject to INEC ratification within 60 days—without holding fresh elections.

The bill also sets a mandatory election window, requiring all polls to occur between 210 and 30 days before the end of an incumbent’s term.

Stricter nomination procedures are introduced as well. Political parties must submit their candidate lists 210 days before the election, including affidavits confirming each candidate’s constitutional eligibility. False claims could lead to disqualification, fines, or imprisonment. Candidates may only be substituted in the event of death or voluntary withdrawal, and any replacement must emerge from fresh primaries.

To ensure transparency, the bill mandates the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and allows both electronic and manual result transmission. Presiding officers who violate these protocols could face fines of at least ₦500,000 or up to six months in prison. Early voting would be introduced for security personnel, INEC officials, and accredited observers.

The bill also proposes faster adjudication of electoral disputes, requiring election petitions to be concluded within 90 days and appeals within 60 days. To deter frivolous litigation, penalties of ₦10 million for petitioners and ₦5 million for their legal counsel are included. Challenges to election outcomes would remain limited to allegations of corruption, non-compliance with the law, or lack of majority votes.

Overall, the Electoral Act 2025 aims to simplify Nigeria’s election process, curb excessive political spending, and improve transparency through stricter rules and enhanced technology.