2027 Elections Will Not Be Conducted Under Old Law – Akpabio Declares

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has given a firm commitment to Nigerians that the upcoming 2027 general elections will be governed by a modernized legal framework.

He assured the public that all necessary amendments to the Electoral Act will be completed and signed into law well ahead of the election cycle.

The Senate President made this pledge in response to an inquiry from the AdvoKC Foundation, a prominent civil society organization advocating for transparency.

Akpabio’s position was clarified by his Special Adviser on Constitutional Matters, Dr. Monday Ubani (SAN), who addressed concerns regarding the legislative timeline.

According to Ubani, the Senate is prepared to hit the ground running immediately after it resumes from its current recess on January 27.

The leadership has set an ambitious target to pass the Electoral Bill 2025 and secure presidential assent by the first week of February.

This timeline is particularly significant because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is legally required to issue a formal Notice of Election at least one year before the polls.

If the new law is not in place by February, INEC would be forced to operate under the existing 2022 framework, which many critics argue is riddled with loopholes.

Ubani noted that the 2022 Act fell short during the 2023 elections, especially regarding the burden of proof in court.

The new amendment aims to simplify election litigation by allowing documentary evidence to be tendered by a single representative, rather than requiring thousands of witnesses from every polling unit.

Meanwhile, AdvoKC Foundation had earlier expressed worry over the Senate’s recess, suggesting that the delay appeared to be a lack of urgency.

The group pointed out that while the House of Representatives had already made significant progress on its version of the bill, the Senate’s delay could “further erode public confidence” if the 2027 polls are conducted under the old law.

With the Senate set to return to plenary in a few days, all eyes are now on the National Assembly to see if they will fulfill this promise to provide a more credible path for Nigeria’s democracy.