Skip to content
Newsheir
Politics

INEC rules out shifting Nigeria's 2027 elections despite Ebola fears

The electoral commission's chairman said the timetable is fixed: presidential and National Assembly polls on January 16, governorship votes on February 6.

By Newsheir Staff, Newsroom

· 1 min read

ShareXLinkedInBlueskyEmail
In this article
  1. The dates
  2. Why the rumours
  3. Why it matters

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any change to the date of the country's 2027 general elections, dismissing claims that the vote could be postponed.

"Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled," INEC chairman Joash Amupitan said in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday, October 31.

The dates

  • Presidential and National Assembly elections: Saturday, January 16, 2027
  • Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections: Saturday, February 6, 2027

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly races began on August 19, and governorship campaigns on September 9.

The dates are themselves the result of an earlier change. INEC originally set the polls for February 20 and March 6, 2027, under the Electoral Act 2022, but moved them after a new electoral law was signed this year. Some older articles and websites still show the original dates.

Why the rumours

Amupitan's remarks came amid claims by some political groups that INEC was considering a delay. According to one report, it was the commission's first direct response to suggestions that the Ebola outbreak in Africa could be used as a reason to postpone the vote.

Nigeria confirmed its first imported Ebola case in October. Two suspected cases in Adamawa State have since tested negative, and health officials say there is no evidence of community spread.

Why it matters

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country and one of its largest democracies. Uncertainty over election dates has caused problems before: in 2015 and 2019, polls were postponed, in 2019 just hours before voting was due to start, frustrating voters and raising costs for parties and observers.

Amupitan urged officials to focus on delivering credible elections and told Nigerians to rely only on official INEC announcements for information about the timetable. With about ten weeks to go before the presidential vote, a firm date gives parties, voters and election observers time to prepare.

Sources and references

  1. 1.INEC Chairman, Amupitan Speaks On Shifting 2027 Election — Naija News
  2. 2.No Plan to Shift 2027 Elections, INEC Chairman Says — Politics Digest
  3. 3.INEC Releases Revised 2027 Elections Timetable, Presidential Poll To Hold Jan 16 — Channels Television

AI disclosure This article was drafted with the help of AI tools and was reviewed, fact-checked and edited by our editors before publication. See our AI policy for details. How we use AI.

Spotted an error? Request a correction. Read our editorial standards.

Related coverage

Format: News