KEY POINTS

• INEC plans to release a new 2027 election timetable to comply with the Electoral Act 2026.

• Lawyers say revising the schedule is legally mandatory because the new law overrides the old framework.

• Political parties want quick clarity, while a religious group warns against changing dates for faith-based reasons

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed it will issue a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections following the passage of the Electoral Act 2026, a new law that shortens the statutory notice period for elections and alters key timelines guiding the electoral process.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the commission is currently reviewing the provisions of the updated law to ensure full compliance before publishing a fresh schedule. He stated that the electoral body remains committed to operating strictly within the bounds of legal requirements.

The controversy arose after INEC initially announced February 20, 2027, for presidential and National Assembly elections and March 6, 2027, for governorship and state assembly polls. Critics quickly pointed out that the dates might conflict with provisions in the new law, which reduced the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.

Under the revised legislation, INEC must publish election notices no later than 300 days before polling. Legal analysts say this adjustment could shift permissible election windows to between late December 2026 and January 2027, meaning the commission’s earlier timetable may no longer be legally sustainable.

Senior lawyer Femi Falana stressed that once a new statute comes into effect, it overrides any previous legal framework. He explained that election timetables derive their authority directly from the law, meaning any amendment to the Act automatically requires a corresponding revision of the schedule.

He warned that retaining a timetable based on a repealed law could trigger legal challenges that might disrupt election preparations and create uncertainty for political actors.

Political parties press for quick decision

Political parties have also urged INEC to act swiftly so they can properly organise primaries, congresses, and conventions. The spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, said early clarity is crucial because parties still have internal statutory activities to complete before candidate selection.

Similarly, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, through its publicity secretary Dipo Johnson, cautioned that uncertainty about the timetable could leave parties scrambling to meet deadlines.

The Peoples Democratic Party also insisted the final schedule must fully comply with the new Act to ensure fairness and proper preparation.

Adding another dimension to the discussion, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria rejected calls for shifting election dates solely because they might coincide with Ramadan. Its national secretary, David Bakare, argued that altering civic processes on religious grounds could undermine Nigeria’s constitutional status as a secular state.

He maintained that elections should remain neutral civic exercises and warned that frequent adjustments based on religious considerations could complicate constitutional governance.