“Off-season elections concentrate power, inflate costs, and turn states into permanent battlegrounds.”
One Nation, One Election Day: It’s Time to End Nigeria’s Off-Season Polls.
By Tolu Babaleye
Since 1999, Nigeria has run two parallel electoral calendars: the “on-season” general elections and the “off-season/off-circle” governorship elections. What began as an accident in 2007 has become a structural weakness. Off-season elections concentrate federal power, inflate costs, increase violence, and distort democratic accountability.
This brief argues that Nigeria must amend the Constitution and Electoral Act to return all governorship elections to the national cycle. Doing so will reduce the cost of democracy, de-escalate political tension, and allow states to focus on governance rather than permanent campaigning.
1. Background: How the Off-Circle Was Born
Nigeria’s current 4-year electoral cycle was established in 1999. The off-cycle began after the 2007 elections, described by then President Olusegun Obasanjo as “do-or-die.” That election was widely criticized for irregularities, particularly in PDP states such as Anambra, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Edo.
Three events pushed states out of cycle:
1. Death of candidates/winners: Fresh polls in Kogi and Bayelsa in 2007-2008.
2. Judicial nullifications: Court rulings in year after 2019, notably in Imo State where a 4th placed candidate was later declared winner.
3. Subsequent court cases: Other states have since joined the off-cycle due to tribunal and appellate court decisions.
In 2009, President Umaru Yar’Adua publicly admitted that the 2007 election that brought him to power was “flawed.” The Supreme Court upheld his election by a narrow 4-3 split, citing the need for stability.
2. The Cost of Off-Season Elections to Democracy
A. Nationalization of State Politics
Because only 1-3 states vote at a time, the presidency, federal ministers, security agencies, and national party leaders all relocate to that state. The incentive becomes “win at all costs” regardless of local popularity. The recent Osun governorship election followed this same pattern, with months of national mobilization.
B. Higher Cost and Higher Violence
INEC, parties, and candidates spend disproportionately more per voter in off-season polls. Security budgets balloon. Vote-buying and thuggery intensify because the national spotlight and resources are focused on one contest. Data from civil society observers consistently show off-cycle polls record more incidents of killing, violence and financial inducement than general elections.
C. Governance Deficit
Governors in off-cycle states spend their first 2 years preparing for re-election, not governing. The constant election atmosphere distracts from service delivery and turns state institutions into campaign tools.
D. Weakened Voter Agency
In a general election, voters decide 1 President, 109 Senators, 360 Reps and 36 Governors in one or two days. In off-season polls, federal power is laser-focused on one state, diluting the voice of local voters.
3. Recommendations: A Roadmap Back to One Calendar
To end the off-cycle, Nigeria needs deliberate legal and institutional reform:
1. Constitutional Amendment for Synchronization
Amend Sections 76, 116, 132, and 178 of the 1999 Constitution. Mandate that all governorship elections hold alongside presidential and National Assembly elections.
Transition Clause: For current off-cycle states, allow INEC and the National Assembly to approve a one-time tenure adjustment, either a shortened or extended term, to realign all states by 2031.
2. Judicial and Electoral Timeline Reform
Enforce strict timelines in the Electoral Act so that all pre-election and post-election cases are concluded before swearing-in. This will prevent new states from falling out of cycle due to prolonged litigation.
3. De-escalation Measures
Strengthen campaign finance limits, early deployment of INEC and security, and independent monitoring for off-cycle elections during the transition period. Discourage the use of federal incumbency to influence state polls.
4. Conclusion
Twenty-six years after the return to democracy, Nigeria cannot afford an electoral system that rewards crisis. The off-season election has failed to deepen democracy. Instead, it has made a few states the permanent center of national political warfare.
Synchronizing all elections is not a silver bullet, but it is one of the most practical reforms available. It will reduce costs, reduce tension, and return power to state voters.
If democracy in Nigeria is to thrive, all elections must return to one season. The time to start that process is now, ahead of 2027.
Tolu Babaleye Esq writes from Katampe – Abuja.