The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to review the Electoral Act 2026 to ensure compliance with legal requirements concerning the schedules for the 2027 elections.
Mr. Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, stated that the commission would release a “revised timetable.”
While Oketola did not specify a date for the release, he emphasized INEC’s commitment to abiding by the laws of the land.
He made these remarks in an interview with Sunday PUNCH in response to demands from some political parties for the issuance of a new timetable.
Leaders of these parties indicated that a revised timetable had become necessary in light of the new electoral act, stressing the importance of organising primaries and other internal activities ahead of the elections.
INEC had previously announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections would take place on February 20, 2027, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls were scheduled for March 6, 2027. This timetable faced criticism from various segments of the public, particularly Muslim groups, who argued that the proposed dates coincided with the holy month of Ramadan.
Amid the controversy, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act 2026, which reduced the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days. The revised Clause 28 states that INEC “shall, not later than 300 days before the day appointed for the holding of an election under this Act, publish a notice in each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory—(a) stating the date of the election; and (b) appointing the place at which nomination papers are to be delivered.”
This amendment is expected to provide INEC with the flexibility to schedule the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections between late December 2026 and January 2027. Legal experts believe that INEC cannot continue preparations for the 2027 elections under the 2022 Electoral Act, which has been amended to accommodate the new provisions.
