The House of Representatives will reconvene for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, 17 February, to deliberate on issues arising from the timetable for the 2027 general elections recently announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This was disclosed in a press statement issued on Friday by the House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi.
|
|
The upper chamber had adjourned for two weeks to enable its standing committees conduct 2026 budget defence sessions for the ministries, departmentsandagencies (MDAs).
The statement noted that the decision to hold an emergency session was conveyed to lawmakers through an internal memorandum issued late Friday by the Office of the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, drawing attention to the constitutional and national significance of the development and the need for timely legislative consideration.
|
|
|
|---|
The Chairperson of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, had earlier on Friday announced at a press conference that the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, 20 February 2027, while the governorship and state Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, 6 March 2027.
Mr Amupitan said the timetable was issued in compliance with the 1999 Constitution and Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the commission to publish a notice of election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for the poll.
He clarified that the tenure of the President, Vice-President, governors and deputy governors, except those in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi and Ondo states, will lapse on 28 May 2027, while the membership of the National and State Assemblies will stand dissolved on 8 June 2027.
According to him, the early release of the timetable is aimed at providing political parties, aspirants and other stakeholders sufficient time to prepare, while enabling the commission to conclude logistical and administrative arrangements well ahead of the polls.
Against this backdrop, the House said its emergency sitting will focus on legislative matters connected to the announcement, in line with its constitutional responsibilities.
The statement noted that all business relating to the development would be treated expeditiously and urged members to prioritise attendance given the importance of the deliberations.
“The emergency sitting reflects the resolve of the House to respond promptly to issues with far-reaching implications for the nation’s democratic process. Deliberations will focus on relevant legislative matters connected to the announcement, in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly,” it read.
The emergency session comes amid ongoing legislative efforts to amend the Electoral Act, which have faced setbacks at the National Assembly.
On 17 December 2025, the House passed its version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, introducing provisions to strengthen the use of technology in elections. Central to the amendments was the proposal to make electronic transmission of results from polling units mandatory and to give legal backing to the use of the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) for real-time upload of results.
However, on 4 February, the Senate passed its own version of the amendment bill, rejecting a proposal to make real-time electronic transmission of election results from polling units to IREV compulsory.
The Senate’s decision sparked protests from citizens including civil society organisations opposition lawmakers, who argued that weakening electronic transmission could undermine transparency and public confidence in the electoral process.
Amid the backlash, the Senate on Tuesday resolved to rescind its earlier decision. The upper chamber subsequently re-amended the bill to accommodate electronic transmission of results. The revised provision, however, includes a caveat that where internet connectivity fails, the physical Form EC8A will serve as the primary basis for collation of results.
The divergence between both chambers means that a harmonised version of the bill will be required before transmission to the President for assent.
Following the passage of its revised version, the Senate reconstituted a harmonisation committee to reconcile differences between its bill and the version earlier approved by the House.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, reappointed Simon Lalong (APC, Plateau South) as chairman of the committee.
Other members are Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North); Adamu Aleiro (APC, Kebbi Central); Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC, Ondo Central); Orji Kalu (APC, Abia South); Abba Moro (PDP, Benue); Asuquo Ekpeyong (APC, Cross River); Aminu Abbas (PDP, Adamawa); Tokunbo Abiru (APC, Lagos); Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi); Ipalibo Banigo (PDP, Rivers); and Peter Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi).
Similarly, the House constituted its own seven-member conference committee to reconcile differences between both chambers.
The committee will be chaired by Adebayo Balogun (APC, Lagos) and includes Fred Agbedi (PDP, Bayelsa); Sada Soli (APC, Katsina); Ahmadu Jaha (APC, Borno); Iduma Enwo (PDP, Ebonyi); Saidu Abdullahi (APC, Niger); and Zainab Gimba (APC, Borno).
Both panels are expected to meet to harmonise contentious provisions, particularly those relating to the scope and conditions of electronic transmission of results, before presenting a unified version for concurrence by both chambers and transmission to the President for assent.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: INEC releases 2027 election timetable
With INEC’s timetable now in place and constitutional timelines counting down, the emergency sitting of the House is expected to address outstanding legislative issues that could shape the legal framework for the 2027 elections.
The House, in its statement, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions through responsive lawmaking and acting in the best interest of Nigerians on all matters concerning the electoral process.
