INEC Fixes February 20, 2027 for Presidential Election, March 6 for Governorship

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially released the timetable for the 2027 general elections, scheduling the Presidential and National Assembly polls for Saturday, February 20, 2027.

The commission also fixed Saturday, March 6, 2027, for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, effectively setting the countdown for the nation’s next democratic transition.

The announcement was made on Friday in Abuja by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), during a press briefing that ended months of speculation regarding the election schedule. Prof. Amupitan, who assumed leadership of the commission in October 2025, emphasized that the new timetable complies strictly with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

He described the schedule as a call to action for all stakeholders, noting that the early release is intended to facilitate proper planning and avert the logistical challenges that have characterized previous exercises.

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Under the released guidelines, public campaigns for the presidential race are expected to commence officially by September 2026, granting political parties approximately five months to market their candidates to the electorate.

The chairman clarified that off-cycle governorship elections will proceed as scheduled in states such as Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun, meaning these states will participate only in the Presidential and Legislative polls on February 20.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of significant legislative developments. The Nigerian Senate recently passed an amendment to the Electoral Act, approving the electronic transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) while retaining a manual backup option.

This “belt-and-suspenders” approach dictates that the manual Form EC8A will remain the primary document for collation in the event of technological failure, a provision that has sparked debate among civil society groups and political actors.

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The 2027 elections will take place within a complex socio-economic environment as the country continues its recovery efforts.

With inflation projected to moderate to around 18-19% by early 2026 and the Naira showing signs of stability, economic performance is expected to be a central campaign theme.

However, security remains a critical concern, particularly in the North-Central and North-West regions, where military operations are ongoing to ensure a safe atmosphere for the polls.

Political parties are now expected to accelerate their preparations, with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) looking to consolidate its position and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party working to resolve internal challenges before the primaries window opens.

The February 20 date maintains the tradition of holding elections early in the year to ensure a sufficient transition period before the May 29 handover.