The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally released the Notice of Election and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections, setting Saturday, 20th February 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and Saturday, 6th March 2027, for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, announced the dates at a press conference on Friday at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja.

He described the release as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey and a constitutional obligation in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.

Pro. Amupitan stated that the action was taken pursuant to Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which mandates the Commission to publish the Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for the election.

He also cited Sections 76(2), 116(2), 132(2) and 178(2) of the Constitution, which provide that elections shall be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the tenure of the last holder of the office.

According to the INEC Chairman, the tenure of the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors, except in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun States, will expire on 28th May 2027, while the National and State Assemblies will stand dissolved on 8th June 2027.

He noted that the Commission had, in recent weeks, countered misleading information regarding the dates and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election, stressing that only INEC is constitutionally empowered to fix election dates and release the timetable.

Advertisement

The 2027 General Elections will be conducted nationwide for the offices of President and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Governors and Deputy Governors in the states where elections are due; Members of the Senate; Members of the House of Representatives; and Members of the State Houses of Assembly.

Providing details of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities, Prof. Amupitan said party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from the primaries, will hold between 22nd May 2026 and 20th June 2026.

The publication of Personal Particulars of candidates (Form EC9) by the Commission will take place on 4th August 2026 for Presidential and National Assembly candidates, while that of Governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates is scheduled for 1st September 2026. Campaigns by political parties in public will commence on 23rd September 2026 for Presidential and National Assembly elections and end on 18th February 2027.

Campaigns for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will begin on 7th October 2026 and conclude at midnight on 4th March 2027, in compliance with the requirement that campaigns end 24 hours before Election Day.

He disclosed that the detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities have been uploaded to the Commission’s official website and circulated to all registered political parties and relevant stakeholders. The 36 Resident Electoral Commissioners and that of the FCT have also been directed to publish the Notice in each constituency where an election is to be held.

While acknowledging the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act, 2022 by the National Assembly, the INEC Chairman assured stakeholders that the Commission remains committed to acting within the existing legal framework. He noted that although the Commission is open to reforms that will strengthen the electoral process, it must proceed in accordance with the current law to avoid uncertainty and logistical challenges.

Prof. Amupitan advised political parties to strictly adhere to the timelines contained in the Schedule of Activities, warning that the Commission will not hesitate to enforce compliance with the law.

Advertisement

He called on parties to conduct peaceful and credible primaries, shun violence and inflammatory rhetoric, and uphold internal democracy. He equally appealed to candidates, supporters and the electorate to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral cycle.

Reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to deepening the deployment of technology to enhance transparency, ensuring the continuous cleaning and updating of the National Register of Voters, strengthening engagement with security agencies to guarantee peaceful elections, and expanding voter education and stakeholder collaboration, the Chairman emphasised that INEC remains an independent body guided solely by the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its Regulations and Guidelines.

He described the success of the 2027 General Elections as a collective responsibility, urging government institutions, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and all Nigerians to play their respective roles. Assuring Nigerians of the Commission’s preparedness, Prof. Amupitan formally released the Notice of Election and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities, pledging that INEC will deliver elections that reflect the sovereign will of the people.

Meanwhile, the Commission has clarified that the transmission of election results in the 2027 General Elections will be conducted strictly in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2022 and the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines.

Prof. Amupitan, made the clarification while responding to questions from journalists during a press conference, following the release of the Notice of Election and Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections.

Responding specifically to concerns about electronic transmission of results, the INEC Chairman explained that the Commission remains committed to transparency in result management and will continue to deploy technology as provided by law.

He noted that the process of result transmission is clearly defined within the existing legal framework and that the Commission will operate within those parameters.

Advertisement

Prof. Amupitan stated that the upload of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) will continue as part of the Commission’s transparency measures, enabling stakeholders and the public to view results in real time as they are uploaded from the polling units.

He emphasised that this initiative has significantly enhanced public confidence and will remain an important component of the 2027 electoral process.

He further explained that the Commission’s technological systems are designed with multiple safeguards to ensure the integrity, authenticity and security of results. According to him, INEC has continued to review and strengthen its operational procedures to address technical challenges experienced in previous elections, ensuring improved performance and reliability.

The Chairman stressed that while technology enhances transparency, the collation and declaration of results will continue to follow the procedure prescribed by law. He reaffirmed that the Commission’s actions will be guided solely by statutory provisions and judicial pronouncements where applicable.

Prof. Amupitan dismissed insinuations suggesting uncertainty in INEC’s position on transmission, maintaining that the Commission has been consistent in its adherence to the law. He assured Nigerians that there will be no deviation from established legal and procedural standards.

The INEC Chairman assured Nigerians that INEC is fully prepared to conduct elections that are transparent, credible and reflective of the sovereign will of the people in 2027.