20100820
reuters

ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signed a new electoral act on Friday that prepares the way for staggered parliamentary, presidential and state governorship polls to be held next year.

The 2010 Electoral Act should clear some of the uncertainty over the legal framework for the polls and allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to finalise the timetable.

INEC warned on Wednesday that uncertainty over the act, as well as funding concerns, were delaying efforts to overhaul the voter register and ensure credible elections in Africa's most populous nation.

"(The bill) contains fundamental changes aimed at improving the conduct of elections in our country," Jonathan said after signing the amended act.

The changes include stipulating the order in which polls must be held, with elections for the Senate and House of Representatives coming first, followed by the presidential election, and finally votes for the 36 state governors.

In the past, the order has been at the discretion of the electoral commission. In 2007, state governorship elections were held in mid-April, with the presidential and parliamentary polls held together a week later.

Parliament passed a constitutional amendment last month that would bring the elections forward to January from April, although there is still debate over whether Jonathan must also approve that change before it can take effect.

The new electoral act says INEC must publish the date of the election not less than 90 days in advance, meaning the commission will have to give notice by the end of September if the polls are to be held in early January.