The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it will review the Electoral Act 2026 in order to comply with the law as regards schedules for the 2027 elections.
In response to some political parties’ demand for the release of a new timetable, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Advisor, Mr. Adedayo Oketola, said the commission would release a “revised timetable.”
While he did not specify the date of the release, Oketola insisted that INEC was committed to upholding the law.
Party leaders who spoke to our correspondents said that another timetable was now inevitable given the new electoral act.
They went on to say that planning primaries and other internal events in advance of the elections was crucial.
Last Friday, INEC declared that the gubernatorial and state Houses of Assembly elections were set for March 6, 2027, while the presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on February 20, 2027.
Some members of the public, especially Muslim organizations, criticized the schedule, claiming that the suggested dates conflicted with the holy month of Ramadan.
Amid the debate, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act 2026, which shortened the necessary notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.
The revised Clause 28 states that INEC “shall, not later than 300 days before the day appointed for the holding of an election under this Act, publish a notice in each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory—(a) stating the date of the election; and (b) appointing the place at which nomination papers are to be delivered.”
It is anticipated that the change will provide INEC with the option to set the dates of the 2027 National Assembly and presidential elections between late December 2026 and January 2027.
According to legal experts, the 2022 Electoral Act, which has been modified to include additional clauses, prevents INEC from continuing to prepare for the 2027 elections.
Political parties have warned that any delay in issuing a fresh timetable would create uncertainty around their internal activities.
Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, told Sunday PUNCH that INEC must take immediate action so that parties can make appropriate plans.
He warned that inadequate notice could interfere with statutory procedures, pointing out that the ADC still needed to hold two national conventions, state congresses, and councils.
“INEC will probably come up with a new election timetable, but there are a lot of things that still need to be looked at as they review the timetable. Everything now depends on INEC, even the issue of e-transmission of results and all that.
“For us, the most important thing is that INEC should decide as quickly as possible. We are also hoping that it will not be done in a way that they will not give us sufficient time to do all the necessary party activities, because we still have congresses to do at the local government and state levels, and we still have two national conventions to hold,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC chieftain called on INEC to involve political parties and other relevant stakeholders in reviewing the election timetable.
He said, “We are also hoping that INEC will give us enough time to prepare and carry out all our internal activities without flouting the law. Normally, INEC will invite political parties to be part of whatever decision they will take, and we are hoping that they will do that.”
In particular, if the elections are to take place before February 2026, the New Nigeria Peoples Party called on the electoral body to act swiftly.
Dipo Johnson, the party’s national publicity secretary, stated that in order to prevent being hurried by short notice, parties must be aware of the speed of preparations.
“If INEC is considering changing the election timetable, they will have to do that as quickly as possible, especially if the election will come slightly sooner than February. People, particularly political parties, will need to know at what pace they will prepare for the election.
“This will also help political parties to prepare adequately for their internal activities because these activities must take place as quickly as possible or when due so that we will not be rushed or made to face deadlines we are not prepared for.
“INEC must put its house in order in line with the Electoral Act as quickly as possible. The electoral commission must invite all parties and other relevant stakeholders to be actively involved in whatever decision it takes so that the new election timetable will be widely accepted by everyone,” Johnson said.
In order to give the commission and political parties time to prepare for the elections, the Peoples Democratic Party requested INEC to make sure that the election schedule complies with the Electoral Act.
“What we are saying is that INEC released a timetable, and now the legislature has passed the law, so they will have to ensure that their timetable aligns with the law so that everyone can prepare for the election,” stated Ini Ememobong, the party’s polarized national publicity secretary.
The party declared that it did not believe INEC could hold a free and fair election.
“INEC has not shown intentionality towards having a free and fair election. Our battle is about Section 84 and Section 60(3),” Ememobong added.
The issue is getting attention, according to Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Advisor to INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan.
He said, “The recently released timetable by INEC was done in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Section 28 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022. The commission will review the new Electoral Act 2026. After this, a revised timetable should be released.”
