INEC Reschedules 2027 Election Dates After Ramadan Concerns
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced new dates for the 2027 General Election following public outcry over an earlier timetable that conflicted with the Ramadan fasting period.
INEC set January 16, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now be held on February 6, 2027.
The announcement was made on Thursday in Abuja by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
Previously, the commission had scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and the Governorship and State Assembly elections for March 6, 2027.
However, the dates faced criticism from several stakeholders who argued that they conflicted with the holy month of Ramadan, expected to begin on February 8 and end around March 10, 2027, according to the 1448 AH Islamic calendar.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar criticized the earlier schedule, stating that elections require maximum participation and physical endurance.
“Fixing such a critical civic exercise in the middle of a major religious observance reflects poor judgment and a troubling lack of sensitivity to the nation’s socio-religious realities,” he said.
Similarly, Bashir Ahmad, a former presidential media aide, noted that holding elections during Ramadan could discourage full participation by a large segment of the population.
Public affairs analyst Hamma Hayatu also predicted that the commission would be compelled to review the dates, while another social media user accused INEC leadership of insensitivity.
Meanwhile, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), clarified that the commission would issue a revised timetable after the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.
President Bola Tinubu recently signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026 into law, just 24 hours after it was passed by the National Assembly.
Amupitan explained that although INEC had issued a Notice of Election on February 13, 2026, it was done under the old Electoral Act, as the new law had not yet taken effect at that time.
“With the introduction of the new Electoral Act, we have to make some adjustments and issue a revised timetable for the 2027 General Election,” he stated.
He added that the development would require procedural adjustments to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework governing elections in Nigeria.
