INEC Reschedules 2027 General Elections to January, February

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced new dates for the 2027 general elections, fixing Saturday, January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly polls.

Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now take place on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

The announcement was made on Thursday by Mohammed Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, in an official statement.

According to INEC, the elections were previously scheduled for February 20, 2027 (presidential and National Assembly), and March 6, 2027 (governorship and state assemblies). However, the timetable was reviewed following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.

Haruna explained that the new law introduced adjustments to statutory timelines guiding pre-election and electoral activities, necessitating a realignment of the commission’s earlier schedule to ensure compliance with the updated legal framework.

He disclosed that party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will commence on April 23, 2026, and conclude on May 30, 2026.

Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly candidates are set to begin on August 19, 2026, while governorship and state assembly campaigns will commence on September 9, 2026. As stipulated by law, all campaigns must end 24 hours before election day.

INEC urged political parties to strictly adhere to the approved timelines, stressing that the commission will enforce full compliance with the law. The revised timetable and schedule of activities have been published on the commission’s official website and communication platforms.

In a related development, the Osun State governorship election, earlier slated for August 8, 2026, has been rescheduled to August 15, 2026. The commission noted that while some activities for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections have already been conducted, all remaining processes will strictly follow the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The 2027 presidential election will mark the first time since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 that the exercise will be conducted in January. Previous presidential elections were held in February, March, or April.