Sunday February 22, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to issue a revised timetable for the 2027 General Elections following a significant legislative shift by the National Assembly.
Adedayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, said the commission would release a “revised timetable”.
Oketola, who did not specify the release date, insisted that INEC was committed to abiding by the laws of the land.
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While the Commission had initially slated the presidential polls for February 20, 2027, a recent amendment to the Electoral Act 2022 has granted the electoral body new “legal flexibility” to adjust these dates.
On February 13, 2026, Amupitan released the first official Notice of Election. The initial schedule included Presidential & National Assembly Elections scheduled for February 20, 2027, while the Governorship & State Assembly Elections were scheduled for March 6, 2027. State Assembly Elections were scheduled for March 6, 2027.
Recall also that the Senate recently passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, specifically adjusting Clause 28(1).
This amendment reduced the mandatory notice period from 360 days to 300 days, giving INEC the “buffer” needed to move the election dates.
The primary driver for this change is the Ramadan fasting period, which is expected to coincide with the original February and March dates in 2027.
Lawmakers and stakeholders expressed concerns that holding elections during this period could cause lower voter turnout.
