INEC Fixes 20th February For Presidential Election

Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially released the timetable for the 2027 general elections, scheduling the presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, 20th February, 2027. 

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, announced the schedule at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, confirming that the governorship and state assembly elections will follow two weeks later on Saturday, 6th March, 2027

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Key dates from the timetable:

🗓️ Presidential & National Assembly: February 20, 2027
🗓️ Governorship & State Assembly: March 6, 2027
🗓️ Party primaries: July 1 – September 30, 2026
🗓️ Submission of candidates’ lists: October 1 – 31, 2026
🗓️ Final list of candidates: November 15, 2026
🗓️ Campaign period (Presidential): November 18, 2026 – February 19, 2027
🗓️ Campaign period (Governorship): December 15, 2026 – March 5, 2027
🗓️ Continuous Voter Registration: April 2026 – January 2027.

Prof. Amupitan emphasized that the release of the timetable is in line with provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022, as amended . He warned political parties and candidates to adhere strictly to the approved timelines, noting that early or late campaigning would constitute a violation of electoral guidelines.

The Commission announced that Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will commence in April 2026 and conclude in January 2027, allowing eligible Nigerians to register or update their voter information ahead of the polls.

INEC had earlier finalised the timetable while awaiting amendments to the Electoral Act currently before the National Assembly. The Commission urged lawmakers to expedite action on the amendments to ensure seamless preparations for the 2027 elections.