Electoral Act 2026: INEC to publish revised electoral timetable.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will review the Electoral Act 2026 in order to comply with the law as regards schedules for the 2027 elections.

Mr Adedayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission would release a “revised timetable”.

Oketola, who was not specific on the date for the release, insisted that INEC was committed to abiding by the laws of the land.

He stated this on Sunday while reacting to the demand of some political parties for the release of a new timetable.

Political leaders who spoke on the matter said another timetable had become inevitable in the light of the new electoral act.

They added that it was essential for them to organise primaries and other internal activities ahead of the polls.

INEC had last Friday announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections would take place on February 20, 2027, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls were scheduled for March 6, 2027.

The timetable drew criticism from sections of the public, particularly Muslim groups, who argued that the proposed dates clashed with the holy month of Ramadan.

Amid the controversy, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act 2026, which reduced the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days.

The revised Clause 28 states that INEC “shall, not later than 300 days before the day appointed for the holding of an election under this Act, publish a notice in each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (a) stating the date of the election; and (b) appointing the place at which nomination papers are to be delivered.”

The amendment is expected to give INEC flexibility to schedule the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections between late December 2026 and January 2027.

Legal experts believe that INEC cannot continue preparations for the 2027 elections under the 2022 Electoral Act, which has been amended to accommodate new provisions.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, said the electoral commission must produce another timetable.

“There must be a new timetable in line with the new electoral act. That is the place of law,” he said.