The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, confirming that the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold first, followed by governorship and State House of Assembly polls two weeks later.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan announced the timetable during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday, February 12, 2026. The schedule aligns with constitutional provisions and gives political parties, candidates, security agencies and civil society sufficient time for preparations.
Presidential & National Assembly Elections — Saturday, February 20, 2027
Governorship & State House of Assembly Elections — Saturday, March 6, 2027 (exactly two weeks after the presidential/National Assembly polls)
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR): Ongoing until the statutory close (expected late 2026).
Political Party Primaries & Congresses: To commence after ward congresses (February 18, 2026) and conclude by mid-2026.
Campaign Periods: Presidential/National Assembly campaigns expected to open late 2026 and close 24 hours before polling.
Collection of PVCs: Final phase to begin early 2027.
Last Day for Replacement/Withdrawal of Candidates: To be announced closer to the deadline.
Full Deployment of BVAS & IReV Infrastructure: Targeted for completion by December 2026.
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Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan reiterated INEC’s commitment to transparency, especially on electronic transmission of results, stating: “The commission is ready. We have already finalised internal preparations under the existing Electoral Act. Once the amendment bill receives presidential assent, we will seamlessly integrate mandatory real-time transmission. But even without it, we have contingency measures to ensure credibility.”
The release of the timetable has eased some anxiety among political parties and voters, though civil society groups and protesters at the National Assembly continue to demand that the pending Electoral Act amendment be signed into law with a non-negotiable electronic transmission clause before the timetable takes full effect.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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