INEC Launches Preparatory Activities For 2027 Elections

According to Ireporter Online, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially commenced activities for the 2027 general elections as of April 23, 2026, marking the beginning of key pre-election processes across the country.

The electoral body announced that the development ushers in a 38-day window for political parties to conduct their primaries and select candidates for the forthcoming presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State Houses of Assembly elections in line with the Electoral Act and the revised timetable released by the commission.

INEC explained that, effective from today, all registered political parties are required to conclude their primary elections within the stipulated 38 days, including the resolution of all internal disputes arising from the exercise. The commission also reminded parties that they must submit updated membership registers at least 21 days before conducting their primaries, with May 10, 2026, set as the final deadline for compliance.

It would be recalled that INEC had earlier unveiled a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, adjusting key dates to reflect changes in the electoral framework.

Under the new schedule, the presidential and governorship elections are now fixed for January 16, 2027, while the elections for governorship and State Houses of Assembly have been rescheduled to hold on February 6, 2027.

The commission stated that the adjustments were necessitated by the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu after its passage by the National Assembly. In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC noted that the updated legal framework made a comprehensive review of previously announced election dates necessary to ensure full compliance.