INEC to Release Revised Timetable for 2027 Elections

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) –  The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will review the new Electoral Act 2026 and release a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections.

Mr Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in an interview with journalists. He did not give a specific date for the announcement but said the commission is committed to obeying the law.

Oketola spoke while reacting to calls from some political parties asking INEC to publish a new election timetable. Party leaders said a revised schedule is necessary so they can plan their primaries and other internal activities ahead of the elections.

INEC had earlier announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on February 20, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were fixed for March 6, 2027.

However, the dates drew criticism from some members of the public, especially Muslim groups, who said the schedule could clash with the holy month of Ramadan.

Amid the controversy, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act 2026, reducing the required notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.

Under the amended Clause 28, INEC must publish a notice of election in each state and the Federal Capital Territory not later than 300 days before the election date, stating when the election will hold and where nomination papers will be submitted.

The amendment is expected to give INEC more flexibility and could allow the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections to be scheduled between late December 2026 and January 2027.

Legal experts say INEC must now adjust its preparations to comply with the amended law rather than continue under the previous Electoral Act.

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