The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a comprehensive schedule of activities for the 2027 General Elections, outlining critical deadlines for political parties, candidates, and electoral stakeholders as preparations intensify for the nationwide polls.
According to the timetable, political parties will begin collecting access codes for the Candidate Nomination Portal on June 26, 2026. The codes will enable designated party officials to upload the names and particulars of candidates seeking various elective positions in the 2027 elections.
INEC stated that the nomination portal for Presidential and National Assembly candidates will open from June 27 to July 11, 2026, during which political parties are expected to upload Forms EC9 and EC9A–E and other required documentation. Governorship and State House of Assembly candidates will be uploaded between July 18 and August 8, 2026.
As part of the electoral calendar, the commission will publish the final list of Presidential and National Assembly candidates on August 15, 2026. Political parties will have until August 25 to withdraw or replace candidates, while August 29 has been fixed as the deadline for the submission of hard copies of EC13A–E forms for presidential and legislative candidates.
Campaign activities for Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to commence on September 23, 2026, allowing political parties to begin rallies, media advertisements, public engagements, and other lawful campaign activities across the country.
For Governorship and State House of Assembly elections, political parties are expected to submit EC13 forms by September 26, 2026, while INEC will publish the final list of candidates on October 6, 2026. The deadline for the withdrawal or replacement of candidates for these elections has been fixed for September 24, 2026.
Campaigns for governorship and state assembly elections will officially begin on December 2, 2026, providing candidates and political parties with a two-month period to canvass support ahead of the polls.
Under the timetable, campaigns for Presidential and National Assembly elections will end at midnight on January 15, 2027, with election day scheduled for January 16, 2027. Similarly, campaigns for Governorship and State Assembly elections will conclude at midnight on February 4, 2027, while the elections will be conducted on February 6, 2027.
INEC Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, recently urged political parties to comply strictly with all deadlines, warning that the nomination portal is fully automated and will close automatically once submission windows expire. He also called on parties to ensure that their ICT personnel and relevant officers are adequately prepared for the nomination process.
The release of the electoral timetable has heightened political activities across the country, with parties now racing to resolve internal disputes, finalize candidate selections, and strengthen their campaign structures ahead of what is expected to be one of Nigeria’s most closely watched elections.
Political analysts say the timetable provides clarity and certainty for stakeholders while reinforcing INEC’s commitment to conducting the elections in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and established electoral guidelines. As the countdown to 2027 begins, attention is expected to shift toward candidate emergence, coalition-building, voter mobilization, and issue-based campaigns that will shape the future direction of the country.
