Presidential election to hold on February 20 as INEC fixes 2027 election dates

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Nigeria’s next general elections will begin on February 20, 2027, with voters to elect the president and members of the National Assembly on that day.

The commission’s Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, disclosed the dates on Friday at a press briefing at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja.

He said the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will follow two weeks later, on March 6, 2027.

According to Prof Amupitan, the election timetable was drawn in line with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that elections must be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the end of the current terms of officeholders.

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He explained that the tenures of the president, vice-president, governors and their deputies – except in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun states – will expire on May 28, 2027, while the National Assembly and state legislatures will be dissolved on June 8, 2027.

“Acting under the powers conferred on the commission by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC has set the 2027 general election dates as follows: presidential and National Assembly elections on February 20, 2027; and governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections on March 6, 2027,” Amupitan said.

He added that the full timetable and schedule of activities had been uploaded on the commission’s official website and circulated to all registered political parties and relevant stakeholders across the country.

“These dates underscore our resolve to deliver elections that are transparent, credible and fully compliant with the law,” the INEC chairman said.

Amupitan also cautioned political parties to strictly observe timelines for primaries, nomination submissions and campaign activities, warning that the commission would enforce compliance where necessary.

He further noted that INEC will intensify voter education, strengthen collaboration with security agencies to ensure peaceful polls, and expand the use of technology to improve transparency in the electoral process.

“The success of the 2027 general elections is a shared responsibility. Government institutions, security agencies, the media, civil society and all Nigerians must play their parts,” he said.