The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday bowed to mounted pressure as it shifted the date for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections to Saturday January 16, 2026.
INEC had earlier fixed the presidential and National Assembly election for February 20, 2026 which the Muslim faithful said it clashed with the Ramadan timing.
Similarly, the Electoral Commission announced that the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
INEC had fixed February 20, and March 6, 2027 for the two categories of elections.
These were contained in a statement on Thursday, February 26, 2026, by Mallam Mohammed Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, in which he explained that the revised timetable was approved to ensure compliance with the new legal framework.
The adjustment followed the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which introduced changes to statutory timelines for pre-election and electoral activities.
INEC said the conduct of party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, will commence on April 23, 2026 and end on May 30, 2026 while campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, just as campaigns for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will commence on September 9, 2026.
The commission also said that as provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day and urged political parties to adhere strictly to the timelines, and emphasised that it would enforce compliance.
INEC also said the revised timetable and schedule of activities reflecting the adjustments have been issued and can be accessed on its official website and other official communication platforms.
In a related development, INEC has also announced a shift in date for the conduct of the Osun State Governorship Election, earlier fixed for Saturday, August 8, 2026, to Saturday, August 15, 2026.
The commission said that some activities in respect of the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections have already been conducted, adding that the remaining activities will now be implemented strictly in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC also said the revised dates are consistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2026 and stressed that the successful conduct of the forthcoming elections remains a collective responsibility.
It therefore called on all stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring peaceful, credible and inclusive elections that reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
