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Abuja.
(C) Legit.ng
Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has unveiled a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.
Under the new schedule, Presidential and National Assembly elections will now take place on Saturday, January 16, 2027, earlier than initially planned.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for Saturday, February 6, 2027 according to Tvcnewsng.
INEC explained that the adjustment became necessary after the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the introduction of new statutory timelines in the 2026 law.
The changes, it noted, required a comprehensive realignment of pre-election activities, including party primaries and campaign periods.
Before the revision, the presidential election had been fixed for February 20, 2027, while governorship and state assembly polls were scheduled for March 6, 2027.
According to the updated framework, political party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will hold from April 23 to May 30, 2026.
Campaigns for Presidential and National Assembly candidates will commence on August 19, 2026, while Governorship and State Assembly campaigns will begin on September 9, 2026.
In compliance with the law, all campaign activities must end 24 hours before polling day.
The Commission urged political parties and aspirants to strictly adhere to the revised timetable, warning that provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 will be enforced without exception.
It added that the detailed schedule has been published across its official communication platforms for public access.
In a related development, INEC shifted the Osun State Governorship Election by one week,from August 8 to August 15, 2026, to align with the new legal framework.
While acknowledging that some preparatory processes for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections had already been concluded, the Commission assured stakeholders that all outstanding activities would fully comply with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2026.
In a statement signed by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC reaffirmed that delivering credible elections in 2027 remains a collective national responsibility.
The Commission called on political parties, candidates, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media, and voters to work together to ensure a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive electoral process that reflects the sovereign will of Nigerians.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
