INEC Revises 2027 General Election Timetable, Shifts Presidential Poll to January

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved and released a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election, shifting the dates for both national and state-level polls.

Under the new arrangement, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now be held on Saturday, 16 January 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections have been rescheduled for Saturday, 6 February 2027.

INEC had initially fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for 20 February 2027, and the Governorship and State Assembly elections for 6 March 2027. However, the Commission explained that the changes became necessary following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which introduced new statutory timelines for pre-election and electoral activities.

According to a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, the revised schedule ensures full compliance with the new legal framework guiding Nigeria’s electoral process.

Key Dates and Activities

INEC also outlined major milestones ahead of the 2027 polls. Party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will commence on 23 April 2026 and end on 30 May 2026.

Campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to begin on 19 August 2026, while campaigns for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will start on 9 September 2026.

The Commission emphasised that, in line with the law, all campaigns must end 24 hours before election day, warning that strict enforcement measures will be applied to ensure compliance.

The revised timetable and full schedule of activities have been published on INEC’s official website and other authorised communication platforms.

Osun Governorship Election Shifted

In a related development, INEC announced the rescheduling of the Osun State Governorship Election, which was earlier fixed for Saturday, 8 August 2026. The election will now take place on Saturday, 15 August 2026.

The Commission noted that while some activities for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections have already been carried out, all remaining processes will now strictly follow the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.

INEC stressed that the revised dates are consistent with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2026.

Reaffirming its commitment to credible polls, the Commission called on political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society groups, and voters to cooperate in ensuring peaceful, transparent, and inclusive elections that reflect the will of the Nigerian people.