According to report by The Nation on Monday, July 28, 2025, the House of Representatives has introduced a bill proposing sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Central to the amendment is the plan to conduct all five elections; presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly on a single day. If adopted, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be empowered to hold simultaneous polls, eliminating staggered election schedules.
The bill, titled Electoral Act 2025, sponsored by Hon. Bayo Balogun, also raises financial thresholds for political activities. Political associations seeking registration must pay an administrative fee of ₦50 million, while campaign spending limits are capped at ₦10 billion for presidential candidates, ₦3 billion for governorship candidates, and ₦500 million, ₦250 million, and ₦30 million for senatorial, House of Representatives, and state assembly candidates, respectively. Donations to candidates are restricted to ₦500 million per donor.
To reduce the frequency of costly by-elections, the proposal allows political parties to nominate replacements for legislators who resign, die, or become incapacitated, bypassing the need for fresh elections. These replacements must be ratified by INEC within 60 days.
Additionally, the bill requires elections to be held between 210 and 30 days before the expiration of the current officeholder’s tenure.
The amendments also tighten procedures for candidate nominations and election integrity. Parties must submit candidate lists 210 days before elections, accompanied by affidavits confirming constitutional eligibility. False declarations will attract disqualification, fines, or imprisonment.
Parties cannot substitute candidates except in cases of death or voluntary withdrawal, and replacements must emerge from fresh primaries.
Technological provisions are emphasized, mandating the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic/manual result transmission. Presiding officers violating these procedures face fines of at least ₦500,000 or six months’ imprisonment. Early voting is introduced for security personnel, INEC staff, and accredited observers.
The bill enforces strict timelines: election petitions must be resolved within 90 days, with appeals concluded in 60 days. It deters frivolous suits with penalties of ₦10 million on petitioners and ₦5 million on counsel. Grounds for challenging elections remain limited to corruption, non-compliance, or lack of majority votes.
The proposed law seeks to streamline Nigeria’s elections, curb excessive spending, and enhance transparency through strict regulations and technological safeguards.
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