…Presidential/NASS Polls Hold January 16
…Governorship/State Assembly Elections Hold February 6.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that political campaigns will officially flag off on August 19, 2026 following its revised time table for 2027 polls.
The Presidential and National Assembly will kick start political campaigns on August 19, while the Governorship and State Assembly campaigns will roll off on September 9, 2026.
INEC on Thursday, February 26 released its adjusted time table after the earlier one was met with reactions and condemnation forcing the electoral umpire to with it
In the latest schedule,the Presidential and National Assembly polls will now hold on January 16, 2027 as against the earlier date of February 20.
INEC said the adjustment followed the Electoral Act repeal and reenactment Act 2026, which altered the statutory timelines guiding the conduct of elections in the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission reviewed the earlier schedule to ensure compliance with the new legal framework.
Under the revised timetable, the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now be held on February 6, 2027.
The new dates mark a departure from the earlier schedule which had fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, and the state-level polls for March 6.
The last day for campaign for the presidential and National Assembly polls will be January 14,2027, while that of the governorship and state assemblies will be February 4, 2027.
Publication for the2027 general elections will be December 29, 2026, while INEC will publish official voters register on December 15, 2026.2.27
Final list of candidates will be published by INEC on September 26, 2026 for presidential and National Assembly and October 10 for Governorship and State Assembly.
The shift has also affected off-cycle elections.
INEC announced that the Osun State governorship election earlier scheduled for August 8, 2026, will now hold on August 15, 2026.
The commission added that while some preparatory activities for the Ekiti and Osun elections had already been completed, outstanding processes would be implemented in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
According to the timetable, political parties are expected to conduct their primaries, including the resolution of disputes, between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
Haruna urged political parties to strictly comply with the new timelines, stressing that the commission would enforce the provisions of the law.
He also noted that campaigns must end 24 hours before election day as required by the Electoral Act 2026.
INEC stated that the revised schedule is consistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2026, while calling on stakeholders to cooperate in ensuring peaceful, credible and inclusive elections.