The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will examine the Electoral Act 2026 and issue a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, Peak Newspaper reports.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Adedayo Oketola, said the commission would align its schedule with the new law. He did not give a date for the announcement but said INEC would comply fully with statutory requirements.
The commission had earlier fixed February 20, 2027 for presidential and National Assembly elections, and March 6, 2027 for governorship and state Assembly polls. The schedule drew criticism from some Muslim groups, who said the dates fell within Ramadan.
The controversy deepened after the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act 2026, reducing the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.
Clause 28 of the amended law now requires INEC to publish a notice of election not later than 300 days before polling day, stating the date and locations for submission of nomination papers. The change gives the commission room to hold the presidential and National Assembly elections between late December 2026 and January 2027.
Legal practitioners say the amendment makes a revised timetable unavoidable.
Human rights lawyer Mr Femi Falana said the commission must produce a new schedule that reflects the amended Act. According to him, once a new law takes effect, previous frameworks anchored on a repealed statute cannot stand.
A senior constitutional lawyer, who requested anonymity due to advisory work for political parties, said election timetables derive their authority from statute. If the underlying law changes, the timetable must change with it or risk being struck down in court.
He warned that maintaining dates inconsistent with the new notice period could trigger pre-election litigation and disrupt preparations.
An official of the All Progressives Congress also said the party expected INEC to act quickly so that the 2027 process would not conflict with the new legal provisions.
Political parties said clarity was urgent to allow them plan primaries, congresses and conventions.
The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, said parties still had internal processes to complete and needed sufficient notice. He urged INEC to consult stakeholders before finalising any revised schedule.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party similarly called for early clarification, especially if elections are to be brought forward. Its spokesman, Dipo Johnson, said compressed timelines could leave parties unprepared.
The Peoples Democratic Party said the commission must ensure that any timetable strictly complies with the amended Act. A factional spokesman, Ini Ememobong, said alignment with the law was essential for credible preparations.
Responding to the concerns, Oketola said the original timetable was issued in line with the 1999 Constitution and Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022. He confirmed that INEC would review the Electoral Act 2026 and release a revised schedule after completing its assessment.
Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria opposed calls to shift election dates on religious grounds.
The National Secretary of the group, Bishop David Bakare, said altering election schedules because they coincide with religious observances could undermine Nigeria’s secular status. He noted that the 2023 elections were held during the Lenten season without similar objections.
Bakare urged political leaders to uphold constitutional principles and maintain civic neutrality in electoral matters.
