The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the official timetable for the 2027 general elections and announced plans to conduct a landmark “mock presidential election” to rigorously test and verify the integrity of its electronic transmission systems.
INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure during a news conference in Abuja on Friday, February 13, 2026.
The timetable sets:
– Presidential and National Assembly elections: Saturday, February 20, 2027
– Governorship and State House of Assembly elections: Saturday, March 6, 2027
Addressing concerns about the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Professor Amupitan reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to electronic transmission while prioritising thorough testing to eliminate technical glitches that undermined public confidence in past elections.
“I am committed to even having a mock presidential election. You see, the delicate thing about technology is if a technology is designed without being properly tested. We don’t have issues with transmission to IREV in respect of the elections. We are doing everything possible to make sure that we test whatever we have. I did not say that technology will not be used,” he stated.
He emphasised that INEC has no intention of abandoning electronic transmission regardless of ongoing legislative debates.
“No matter how it ends, we already have our policies. I think that we should ensure that the results are transmitted,” Amupitan said.
With the issuance of the Notice of Election, INEC warned political parties that the window for internal primaries is now open and must be conducted transparently and within statutory timelines.
The Chairman cautioned parties against violence, inflammatory rhetoric, or attempts to circumvent the law.
“Political parties are strongly advised to strictly adhere to the timelines. The Commission will not hesitate to enforce compliance with the law. I call on political parties to conduct peaceful and credible primaries, to shun violence and inflammatory rhetoric, and to uphold internal democracy,” he said.
On the projected cost of the 2027 elections, Amupitan attributed the high figure to the massive scale of operations, including the deployment of four poll officers per polling unit and the training of nearly 450,000 ad-hoc staff, compounded by inflation and foreign exchange fluctuations.
He dismissed media reports suggesting the Commission would spend N1 trillion or divert funds to build hospitals, clarifying that he had only referred to existing clinics and medical supplies for staff, not new hospital construction.
The Chairman explained that the election dates were fixed in strict compliance with Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2022, which require the Notice of Election to be published at least 360 days before the polls.
He noted that off-cycle states such as Anambra, Bayelsa, and Edo will retain their separate schedules due to court-adjusted tenures.
INEC called on all stakeholders—security agencies, the media, civil society, and political parties—to treat the 2027 elections as a shared national responsibility.
The Commission’s plan for a mock presidential election aims to build public trust by demonstrating the reliability of its electronic systems ahead of the polls.
