Fresh concerns have emerged over the timetable for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, as civic advocate Samson Itodo and politician-actor Kenneth Okonkwo separately called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review its schedule.
INEC had on February 13 released its election timetable, fixing the Presidential and National Assembly polls for February 20, 2027, while Governorship and State Assembly elections are slated for March 6, 2027. The announcement has since triggered debate across the country, with some stakeholders urging the commission to reconsider aspects of the schedule.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Itodo warned against altering election timelines solely on religious grounds but noted that ongoing reforms could eventually push elections to January or to periods outside major Christian and Muslim fasting seasons.
He stressed the importance of maintaining Nigeria’s secular character while ensuring reforms do not create unintended complications for the electoral process.
Okonkwo, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, on his part criticised the decision to hold elections on separate dates, arguing that Nigeria’s economic and security realities make staggered voting impractical.
According to him, conducting elections weeks apart would increase logistical costs, discourage voter turnout, and worsen security risks, adding that holding all polls on the same day could significantly reduce the projected ₦873 billion election budget.
He therefore urged INEC’s leadership to reconsider the arrangement and consolidate all elections into a single day, insisting that nothing in law prevents such a move.
The electoral body has yet to formally respond to the latest calls, but the growing debate signals increasing scrutiny of preparations for the 2027 polls as political actors and civil society groups push for adjustments to the timetable.