The race for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections officially began on Friday with the release of the electoral timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for Saturday, February 20, 2027, followed by governorship and state assembly elections on Saturday, March 6, except in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun states, where off-cycle polls will hold.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, emphasized that despite ongoing debates over real-time electronic transmission of results, the commission has its own system to ensure secure and timely transmission.
“At stakeholders’ meetings last week, I informed participants that the Commission is closely monitoring the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act, 2022. We remain committed to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections, with timely and effective result transmission,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan also outlined preparations to strengthen technology deployment, improve the continuous cleaning of the National Register of Voters, enhance engagement with security agencies, expand voter education, and promote stakeholder collaboration.
He urged political parties to conduct peaceful primaries, discourage violence, and uphold internal democracy, while appealing to candidates, supporters, and the electorate to maintain calm throughout the electoral cycle.
On election dates, he said: “The tenure of the President, Vice President, Governors, and Deputy Governors of states of the Federation, except in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun, will expire on May 28, 2027. Membership of the National and State Assemblies will stand dissolved on June 8, 2027. Elections shall be conducted not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the respective terms.”
Amupitan confirmed that the technology to be used for the elections, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), is being tested to ensure reliability and transparency.
Political Parties Respond
The All Progressives Congress (APC) announced it was mobilizing Nigerians nationwide to ensure total victory in the elections. APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, highlighted the role of governors in grassroots mobilization and the party’s inclusive approach. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, chairman of the APC Campaign Council, pledged full commitment to securing victory.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by the Nyesom Wike-backed National Caretaker Working Committee, confirmed its readiness for the elections, assuring that internal disputes and litigations would be resolved ahead of the primaries. Spokesman Jungudo Haruna Mohammed urged members to remain calm, focused, and fully engaged in grassroots mobilization.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomed the release of the timetable but stressed the need for clear manual and electronic safeguards to prevent manipulation. The party urged INEC to provide unambiguous clarity on real-time electronic transmission of results and to outline specific guardrails to ensure the integrity of elections. The ADC also called on the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to remove ambiguities surrounding electronic transmission and strengthen the legal framework for transparent elections.
