The National Assembly is planning to change the Electoral Act and delay the 2027 general elections to November 2026. The African Democratic Congress has warned that this could cause problems with governance and stop Nigeria from making progress in its development path.
According to a statement issued by Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC's National Publicity Secretary, holding the elections earlier will reduce the time that the government is really in power, cause an endless cycle of campaigns, and make it harder to put long-term development goals into action.
Changes to the general elections in 2027 were initiated on Monday by the National Assembly, which has proposed moving the presidential and gubernatorial elections to November 2026.
Some critics accused lawmakers of trying to indirectly extend President Bola Tinubu’s tenure, while others contended that the proposed change—if carefully implemented—could strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process and enhance its credibility.
The proposal forms part of broader amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act and seeks to move the 2027 general elections forward by about six months. The goal is to ensure that all pre- and post-election disputes are resolved before the official handover date of May 29, 2027. If adopted, this would mark a significant shift from the traditional February or March election schedule.
In response, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) urged lawmakers to prioritize strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring political stability, rather than pursuing what it described as “politically motivated amendments.”
ADC National Publicity Secretary Abdullahi said:
“The African Democratic Congress has noted the National Assembly’s proposal to amend the Constitution to hold the 2027 general elections in November 2026. While we understand the stated rationale—to allow more time for resolving election petitions before a new administration is inaugurated—the ADC believes this move could create deeper challenges for Nigeria’s democracy than it seeks to address.
“By shortening the current political calendar by six months, the amendment risks plunging the country into perpetual electioneering, where governance takes a back seat to politics. Holding elections in November 2026 would mean campaigns beginning as early as 2025, leaving barely two years of genuine governance before political distractions dominate. Public officials, including the president, governors, and ministers, would likely shift focus from performance to political positioning, causing policy stagnation and abandoned projects.”
Abdullahi further cautioned that the proposed early election schedule could worsen Nigeria’s already problematic culture of endless campaigning.
He said, “Even under the current timetable, we have seen with the APC administration how an obsession with power can undermine governance. Moving elections forward will only intensify this unhealthy pattern, reducing democracy to a constant cycle of campaigning rather than leadership.”
The ADC called on the National Assembly to drop the proposal and instead pursue comprehensive reforms that promote credible elections, timely dispute resolution, and stronger institutions.
It added, “If the objective is to ensure all election petitions are resolved before inaugurations, the solution is not to shorten tenures or rush the electoral process. What is needed is to strengthen institutions through stricter tribunal timelines, improved electoral laws, and a more efficient judiciary and INEC.
“Other democracies demonstrate that it is possible to maintain fixed election dates while ensuring speedy adjudication of disputes. For instance, Kenya’s Supreme Court must resolve presidential petitions within 14 days, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court does so within 14 working days, and Ghana’s Supreme Court concludes such cases within 42 days. Similarly, South Africa and others rely on fast-tracked judicial processes.
These examples show that Nigeria’s priority should be institutional efficiency, not altering the electoral calendar.”
The ADC warned that changing election dates without addressing the systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s electoral adjudication process would be ineffective.
It concluded, “Adjusting the election timeline without fixing the core flaws in our electoral and judicial systems will not solve the problem. In countries that manage early campaigns successfully, this is achieved through strong institutional safeguards. Nigerians deserve more than endless politicking—they deserve effective governance and real dividends of democracy. We cannot afford a situation where governments campaign for two years and govern for only two.”
