Civil society organisations (CSOs) have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, insisting that the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act does not suspend the provisions of the existing law.
Abuja Times reports that the CSOs include Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), The Kukah Centre, International Press Centre (IPC), Elect Her, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, TAF Africa, and Yiaga Africa.
The group also urged the National Assembly’s conference committee on the Electoral Bill to adopt the House of Representatives’ resolutions on mandatory, real-time electronic transmission of election results, downloadable voter cards for missing or unissued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and the retention of statutory electoral timelines.
The Coordinator, Jake Epelle made the call at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, following what they described as growing legal uncertainty arising from conflicting positions taken by the Senate and the House of Representatives on key electoral reform provisions.
According to the statement, the Senate’s rejection or alteration of critical reforms—particularly electronic transmission of results, downloadable voter cards, and compressed electoral timelines—poses a serious threat to the credibility of the 2027 elections.
“Electoral reform is not a technical exercise; it is fundamental to democratic integrity, transparency, and credible transitions,” the organisations stated.
Confusion Over Senate’s Position
The groups expressed concern over what they described as widespread confusion surrounding the Senate’s stance on electronic transmission of results. They noted that public discourse has been marked by contradictory claims, including whether the Senate approved real-time transmission, merely retained INEC’s discretionary powers under the Electoral Act 2022, or substituted the word “transmit” with “transfer” while removing the requirement for real-time transmission.
“Such ambiguity in electoral legislation is unacceptable and undermines public confidence in the reform process,” the statement said.
INEC Urged to Release Timetable
Citing Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, the CSOs stressed that INEC is legally mandated to issue a notice of election at least 360 days before the election date. They argued that the amendment process does not invalidate or delay this obligation.
Applying INEC’s long-standing practice of conducting general elections on the third Saturday of February, the organisations noted that the 2027 general elections are expected to hold on 20 February 2027, making 24 February 2026 the statutory deadline for the release of the election timetable.
They warned that any failure by INEC to meet this deadline would amount to a violation of the law and could undermine early electoral preparations nationwide.
Senate Emergency Plenary
The CSOs also referenced the Senate’s emergency plenary scheduled for Tuesday, 10 February 2026, urging lawmakers to use the session to clearly and unambiguously adopt provisions that guarantee mandatory, real-time electronic transmission and collation of results, approval of downloadable voter cards, and the retention of statutory timelines for elections and candidate nominations.
Key Recommendations
On electronic transmission of results, the organisations called on the conference committee to adopt the House of Representatives’ provision mandating real-time electronic transmission through a technology-neutral framework that ensures transparency while allowing INEC flexibility in implementation.
They also highlighted INEC data from the 2023 general elections, which showed that over 6.2 million registered voters were disenfranchised due to uncollected PVCs. According to them, downloadable voter cards would significantly reduce voter exclusion and strengthen electoral participation.
The CSOs further insisted that existing timelines—360 days for notice of elections, 180 days for submission of candidates, and 150 days for publication of candidates—must be retained to avoid logistical and administrative failures.
On the review of election results, the groups opposed limiting the process to reports filed solely by INEC officials, calling instead for the inclusion of political parties, candidates, accredited agents, and observers to strengthen accountability.
Call for Urgent Action
In conclusion, the organisations urged the National Assembly to conclude the harmonisation of the Electoral Bill without delay and transmit the final version to the President within two weeks. They also called on citizens to demand accountability from their representatives and resist any attempt to weaken electoral safeguards ahead of the 2027 general elections.