The National Assembly will reconvene on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, cutting short its recess amid strong indications that lawmakers may review the date scheduled for the 2027 presidential election.
Investigations reveal that the presidential poll could be moved from February 20 to February 13, 2027, subject to legislative approval.
In a notice issued by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, senators and members of the House of Representatives were directed to resume plenary at 11 a.m. to deliberate on “very crucial decisions.”
Sources within the Assembly disclosed that the emergency session is largely to provide legislative backing to a request by the Independent National Electoral Commission to review the election timetable following concerns that the February 20 date coincides with Ramadan.
“It is essentially an extraordinary plenary to review the 2027 presidential election date as contained in the Electoral Act amendment. That explains why the recess was cut short,” a senator said.
Another source, quoted by Punch Newspaper, noted that if deliberations go as planned, the presidential election may be brought forward by one week to February 13 to avoid clashing with the fasting period.
INEC had earlier scheduled February 20, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, and March 6, 2027, for governorship and state assembly polls. However, Muslim groups and prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, called for a reconsideration, pointing out that Ramadan in 2027 is expected to run from February 7 to March 8.
INEC, through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, stated that the timetable was prepared in line with the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, but acknowledged stakeholders’ concerns.
The commission added that it is engaging in consultations and may seek legislative intervention where necessary, provided any adjustments remain within constitutional limits.
The emergency plenary comes days after the Senate approved the electronic transmission of results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) but declined to make real-time uploads mandatory. Lawmakers retained manual collation as a backup in areas where electronic transmission may not be feasible.
The development followed public criticism and protests over a controversial clause in the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026. Under the revised provision, presiding officers are required to transmit results electronically after voting concludes, while the manual result sheet—Form EC8A—will serve as the primary basis for collation where network challenges occur.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, advised dissenting lawmakers to formally challenge the amendment during plenary.
Defending the removal of the “real-time” clause, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele cited infrastructural limitations. Referencing data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, he said broadband coverage is about 70 per cent, internet penetration stands at 44.53 per cent, and Nigeria ranks 129th out of 150 countries in fixed broadband speed.
He further observed that approximately 85 million Nigerians lack access to grid electricity, while power distribution capacity remains significantly below generation levels.
“By global standards, real-time electronic transmission of election results may not be practicable at this stage of our development,” Bamidele said, stressing that legislation must align with existing realities.
Meanwhile, the Joint National Assembly Conference Committee is expected to meet to harmonise differences in the Electoral Amendment Bill passed by both chambers. The reconciled bill will subsequently be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Beyond the debate over the election date, lawmakers are also weighing broader reforms aimed at ensuring that election petitions are concluded before the May 29, 2027 handover date. Proposals under consideration include conducting presidential and governorship elections at least 185 days before the expiration of incumbents’ tenures and shortening timelines for tribunals and appellate proceedings.
As plenary resumes, Tuesday’s deliberations are expected to significantly shape the legal and political framework for the 2027 elections. Should the proposed shift to February 13 be approved, it would represent a notable adjustment influenced by religious considerations and stakeholder advocacy, while testing INEC’s capacity to deliver credible elections within a compressed timeframe.
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