The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revised the timetable for the 2027 general elections, moving the presidential and National Assembly polls to January 16, despite strong objections from opposition parties over the newly enacted electoral law.
INEC announced that governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now hold on February 6, replacing the earlier February and March dates set under the repealed 2022 Electoral Act. The commission said the adjustment became necessary following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which altered statutory timelines for primaries, campaigns and funding.
According to INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, party primaries will run from April 23 to May 30, 2026, while campaigns for presidential and National Assembly races will begin August 19, with governorship campaigns starting September 9.
However, leaders of opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, criticised the Electoral Act 2026, describing it as anti-democratic and urging the National Assembly to begin fresh amendments. They argued that provisions restricting parties to direct primaries or consensus options, shortening campaign timelines, and delaying INEC funding could undermine transparency ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Act was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on February 18, prompting claims from opposition figures that the changes may favour the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Despite the protests, INEC maintained that the revised election dates comply with the Constitution and the new Electoral Act, insisting the adjustments are necessary to ensure a legally sound and orderly electoral process.