.….Governorship Polls will now hold on February 6 in Revised Timetable

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a revised timetable for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, moving the presidential and National Assembly polls forward to Saturday, January 16, 2027, and the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to Saturday, February 6, 2027.

The adjustment, announced in a press statement signed by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, comes after the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the signing into law of the Electoral Act, 2026, by President Bola Tinubu on February 18, 2026.

The new legislation introduced changes to statutory timelines for pre-election activities, necessitating a review to ensure compliance.

Previously, under the 2022 Act, INEC had scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly polls for March 6, 2027.

Key dates in the updated schedule include:

– Party primaries, including resolution of related disputes: April 23, 2026, to May 30, 2026.

– Start of presidential and National Assembly campaigns: August 19, 2026.

– Start of governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns: September 9, 2026.

Campaigns must end 24 hours before election day, as stipulated by law, with INEC warning of strict enforcement of compliance.

The commission also made a minor adjustment to the Osun State governorship election, shifting it from Saturday, August 8, 2026, to Saturday, August 15, 2026.

Some preparatory activities for the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls have already taken place, but remaining processes will follow the Electoral Act, 2026.

INEC emphasized that the revised timetable fully aligns with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the new Electoral Act.

The complete schedule is available on the commission’s official website and other platforms.

Describing credible elections as a shared responsibility, INEC urged political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society organizations, and all Nigerians to collaborate for peaceful, transparent, and inclusive polls that truly reflect the people’s will.

Photo: Former Senate President David Mark, former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, during the press conference.

Opposition leaders on Thursday rejected the Electoral Act recently passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

During a joint press conference in Abuja today, the opposition leaders (the African Democratic Congress, ADC , and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP) demanded that the National Assembly should begin a fresh process to amend the Electoral Act, insisting that the current law does not reflect the aspirations of Nigerians.

In a communiqué read by the NNPP National Chairman, Ajuji Ahmed, they urged lawmakers to immediately reopen the law for review to ensure it guarantees credible elections.

Ahmed said that the opposition wants a new amendment process that would “remove all obnoxious provisions” and produce a legal framework that reflects the will of Nigerians for “free, fair, transparent and credible” elections.

The group warned that anything short of this would be unacceptable.

Prominent figures at the meeting included former Senate President David Mark, NNPP chieftain Buba Galadima, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

Others in attendance at the meeting, held at the Lagos/Osun Hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, included the ADC national secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Dino Melaye, former ADC national chairman Ralph Nwosu and former Cross River State governor Liyel Imoke, alongside other party officials and stakeholders.

Leading opposition figures, including a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, and the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, are currently gathered at Transcorp in Abuja to present their position on the Electoral Act.

Also present are former Senate President David Mark, a chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Buba Galadima, a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Rauf Aregbesola.

The opposition leaders, who are meeting at the Lagos/Osun Hall of Transcorp Hilton, are expected to address journalists on contentious provisions of the Electoral Act, as well as other key national issues.

Other stakeholders at the venue include the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi; Senator Dino Melaye; a former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu; and a former Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, among others.

Under the Electoral Act 2022, political parties were permitted to nominate candidates through direct primaries involving all registered members, indirect primaries conducted by delegates, or by consensus arrangements reached by party leaders.

However, the 2026 Electoral Act, recently passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Tinubu on February 18, restricts parties to only direct primaries and consensus options.

In addition, the new law shortens campaign periods and timelines for primaries, while funding for the Independent National Electoral Commission will now be released six months before an election, instead of the previous 12 months.

(Punch)