Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has unveiled a revised timetable for the 2027 General Election, bringing forward the dates for both presidential and governorship polls in line with new electoral laws.
Under the new schedule, Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, 16 January 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections have been fixed for Saturday, 6 February 2027.
The Commission said the adjustment followed the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which introduced changes to statutory timelines guiding electoral processes.
INEC explained that the revised schedule ensures full compliance with the new legal framework while maintaining constitutional requirements.
Key Election Milestones
According to the timetable, political activities will kick off months ahead of the polls:
Party primaries will run from 23 April to 30 May 2026.
Campaigns for Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on 19 August 2026.
Governorship and State Assembly campaigns will commence on 9 September 2026
Campaigns are expected to end 24 hours before election day, in line with electoral laws.
The Commission warned political parties to strictly adhere to the timeline, stressing that violations would attract sanctions.
Osun Poll Rescheduled
INEC also announced a shift in the Osun State governorship election 2026, moving it from 8 August to 15 August 2026.
It noted that while some preparatory activities for the Osun and Ekiti elections had already taken place, all remaining processes would align with the Electoral Act, 2026.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to delivering credible, peaceful and inclusive elections, urging stakeholders to cooperate in safeguarding the integrity of the process.
Further details obtained by this online newspaper indicate that the revised timetable is now available on INEC’s official platforms for public access.
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