By Peter Omopo
The House of Representatives is considering a major electoral reform that would see presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State Assembly elections conducted on the same day.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas revealed the proposal in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with a delegation from the European Union. He said the initiative aims to reduce costs, enhance efficiency, and improve voter turnout in future polls.
Currently, Nigeria’s elections are staggered over several weeks, a system critics say fuels political tension, increases costs, and strains security logistics. Abbas said adopting a single-day model would “enhance credibility and reduce apathy” among voters.
The proposed reform is part of broader constitutional amendments before the National Assembly. Other issues under review include reserved seats for women and persons with disabilities, granting financial autonomy and defined roles to traditional rulers, and strengthening INEC’s capacity to deliver credible elections.
“We will do all the needful as far as legislation is concerned to enable INEC to have all the necessary tools and provisions to make the 2027 election much better than the 2023 election,” Abbas assured.
The Speaker urged state assemblies to endorse the reforms and called on the EU for support in advocacy and awareness.
Past attempts to legislate single-day elections failed in previous assemblies, but lawmakers say the 2027 polls provide a renewed opportunity for change.
