The National Assembly has abruptly cut short its recess and fixed an emergency plenary for Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in what insiders describe as a calculated move to alter the date of the 2027 presidential election following pressure over its clash with Ramadan.
In a notice issued on Sunday and signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, senators and members of the House of Representatives were directed to resume at 11am for what he described as “very crucial decisions.”
But multiple sources confirmed that the real agenda is to review the presidential election date earlier announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“If all goes according to plan, the presidential poll may be shifted to February 13, 2027, from February 20,” a ranking senator disclosed anonymously. “This is essentially to give legislative backing to INEC’s request, especially with concerns that the earlier date falls within Ramadan.”
INEC had initially scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and governorship polls for March 6, 2027. However, the proposed date triggered backlash from Muslim groups and political figures who argued that conducting a nationwide election during Ramadan would suppress participation.
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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar publicly criticised the February 20 date, describing it as insensitive to millions of Muslim voters observing fasting and spiritual devotion. Other political figures, including former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad, also urged the commission to reconsider.
INEC, through its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, acknowledged the concerns and signalled possible legislative intervention to address them while remaining within constitutional limits.
The emergency plenary comes on the heels of mounting tension over amendments to the Electoral Act. Just last week, the Senate bowed to public pressure and approved electronic transmission of results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) but controversially stopped short of making real-time uploads compulsory.
The amendment followed nationwide protests sparked by a disputed clause in the Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026. Civil society groups and opposition figures accused lawmakers of diluting electoral transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Under the revised provision, presiding officers must electronically transmit results after voting concludes. However, in areas where network challenges persist, manual collation using Form EC8A remains valid.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio presided over the voice vote approving the amendment, urging dissenting senators to formally challenge the decision.
Defending the removal of the “real-time” transmission clause, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele cited infrastructural limitations. Quoting data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, he said broadband coverage stood at 70 per cent in 2025, with internet penetration at 44.53 per cent. Nigeria, he added, ranked 129th out of 150 countries in fixed broadband speed at 33.32 Mbps.
He also pointed to chronic electricity shortages, noting that about 85 million Nigerians lack access to grid power and that effective transmission capacity remains far below generation potential.
“By global standards, real-time electronic transmission may not be practicable at this stage,” Bamidele argued, insisting that lawmaking must reflect “stark realities” rather than sentiment.
Meanwhile, the Joint National Assembly Conference Committee is expected to meet to harmonise the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Amendment Bill. Once reconciled, the bill will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
The National Assembly had earlier floated a broader constitutional amendment to move general elections to November 2026—about six months before the expiration of current mandates—to allow election petitions to be concluded before the May 29, 2027 handover date. The proposal includes reducing tribunal timelines from 180 to 90 days and compressing appellate decisions to 60 days.
