There is palpable concern about the amendment and passage of the subsisting electoral act into law. The need to have a new set of Electoral guidelines is due to weaknesses of the subsisting act. It is generally believed that a new law governing elections in Nigeria is of the utmost importance.
Unfortunately, time is not on the side of the country given that Saturday the 20th of February 2027 is slated for the commencement of the elections. If a new electoral act is not passed this week and quickly accented to by the president, then we are all in a fix and would have no choice than be bound to run with the electoral act 2022.
This is indeed worrisome.
Based on the official timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on January 19, 2026, here is the schedule for the next general elections:
2027 Election Dates
Presidential and National Assembly Elections: Saturday, February 20, 2027.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections: Saturday, March 6, 2027.
Key Pre-Election Deadlines (2026–2027)
The road to the polls officially begins this year. Here are the critical milestones you should keep an eye on:
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR): Scheduled to run from April 2026 to January 2027. This is the window for new voters to register or for existing voters to transfer their polling units.
Party Primaries: Political parties must conduct their primaries to select candidates between July 1 and September 30, 2026.
Submission of Candidate Lists: INEC will receive the lists of candidates from October 1 to October 31, 2026.
Official Campaign Period: Presidential/National Assembly: Begins November 18, 2026, and ends February 19, 2027.
Governorship/State Assembly: Begins December 15, 2026, and ends March 5, 2027.
Current Context
As of today, January 27, 2026, there is significant legislative debate surrounding the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2025. While the House of Representatives passed the bill in December 2025, the Senate’s concurrence is still pending. Some proposed amendments (though controversial) have even suggested moving the elections as early as November 2026 to ensure all legal petitions are resolved before the May 29 swearing-in date. However, until such a bill is signed into law, the February 2027 dates remain the legal standard.
