The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election, following recent amendments to the nation’s electoral laws.
Under the new schedule, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027.
The statement was signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections have been fixed for Saturday, February 6, 2027.
INEC had earlier slated the Presidential and National Assembly polls for February 20, 2027, and the Governorship and State Assembly elections for March 6, 2027, in line with the Electoral Act, 2022.
However, the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026 — which introduced adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities — prompted the Commission to realign the schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework.
According to INEC, party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will commence on April 23, 2026, and conclude on May 30, 2026.
Campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while campaigns for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will start on September 9, 2026.
In line with the law, all campaigns must end 24 hours before Election Day.
The Commission advised political parties to strictly adhere to the approved timelines, warning that it will enforce compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC said the revised timetable has been published on its official website and other communication platforms.
The Commission also announced a shift in the date for the Osun State Governorship election. The poll, earlier fixed for August 8, 2026, will now hold on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
INEC noted that some activities relating to the Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections had already commenced. It assured stakeholders that outstanding processes would be implemented strictly in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
The Commission emphasized that the revised dates are consistent with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the new Electoral Act.
Describing the successful conduct of the elections as a collective responsibility, INEC called on political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media and voters to cooperate in ensuring peaceful, credible and inclusive polls that reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
