BREAKING: INEC Shifts Presidential Poll to January 16, 2027

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rescheduled the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027.

The commission also announced that governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now hold on February 6, 2027.

The revised timetable was made public on Thursday by Mohammed Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, in a statement issued in Abuja.

INEC had previously fixed February 20, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly polls, and March 6, 2027, for the governorship and state assembly elections.

The earlier dates drew reactions from some political stakeholders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who urged the commission to reconsider the schedule due to its proximity to the Ramadan fasting period.

The electoral umpire’s decision to review the timetable is also linked to the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, developments which have necessitated adjustments to the electoral calendar ahead of the 2027 general elections.