The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced new dates for the 2027 general elections, rescheduling both presidential and governorship polls in line with recent legal changes.
In a statement issued on Thursday, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on January 16, 2027.
He added that governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections have been fixed for February 6, 2027.
The commission had earlier scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and governorship elections for March 6, 2027. However, the timetable was reviewed following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.
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Haruna explained that the new law introduced adjustments to statutory timelines guiding pre-election and electoral activities, necessitating a realignment of the schedule to ensure full compliance.
According to him, political party primaries, including the resolution of disputes, will commence on April 23, 2026, and end on May 30, 2026.
Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections are set to begin on August 19, 2026, while governorship and state assembly campaigns will commence on September 9, 2026.
“As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before election day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines, as the commission will enforce compliance,” he said.
INEC also announced a slight adjustment to the Osun State governorship election, which has been moved from August 8 to August 15, 2026.
Haruna noted that while some activities for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections had already been conducted, all remaining processes would now strictly follow the provisions of the new electoral law.
The 2027 election cycle will mark a departure from Nigeria’s traditional voting calendar, making it the first time since the country’s return to democracy in 1999 that presidential elections will be conducted in January.