The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned that the national assembly’s plan to shift the 2027 general election to November 2026 could disrupt governance and plunge the nation into continuous political campaigns.
The reaction follows an amendment proposal in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025, which seeks to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct presidential and governorship elections ahead of 2027.
The national assembly argues that the amendment aims to ensure all election petitions are concluded before the May 29, 2027 handover.
However, in a statement released on Tuesday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s national publicity secretary, said the proposal, though seemingly well-meaning, could worsen Nigeria’s democratic challenges rather than solve them.
Abdullahi cautioned that advancing the election by six months would push the country into “permanent campaign mode”, reduce effective governance time, and derail national development efforts.
He said the shift would further distract officials from their responsibilities, especially in a system where leaders already prioritise power over public service.
“Elections happening in November 2026 mean campaigns will begin as early as 2025,” the ADC spokesperson said.
“That leaves barely two years of real governance before political noise takes over. The president, ministers, governors, and other public officials will shift focus from performance to positioning.
“Policies will stall, projects will be abandoned, and governance will grind to a halt.”
He added that even under the existing timeline, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had shown how the pursuit of power often overshadows delivery of service.
He argued that the real solution to prolonged election disputes is not shorter tenures or rushed processes but strengthening the judiciary and electoral bodies.
“If the goal is to ensure that petitions are concluded before inaugurations, the solution lies in enforcing strict tribunal timelines, reforming electoral laws, and improving institutional capacity,” he said.
Abdullahi pointed to Kenya, Indonesia, Ghana, and South Africa as examples of nations that maintain a stable electoral timetable while ensuring quick dispute resolution through judicial efficiency.
“The amendment we need is the one that ensures timely electoral justice through institutional efficiency, not one that alters the election calendar to accommodate inefficiency,” he said.
He stressed that altering the date without fixing structural flaws would only deepen the governance deficit.
“The people of Nigeria are not just voters; they are citizens who expect good governance as dividends of democracy,” he said.
“Nigeria cannot afford a system that allows government to campaign for two years and govern for two.”
The ADC urged lawmakers to withdraw the proposal and instead focus on comprehensive electoral reforms that ensure credible elections and prompt resolution of disputes without undermining governance.