Fresh moves are being made to adjust Nigeria’s 2027 general election timetable, with a new proposal seeking to bring forward the presidential poll to January 16, 2027.
The plan reportedly emerged after a series of consultations between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and leaders of the National Assembly. Under the revised arrangement, governorship elections would follow two weeks later, on January 30, 2027.
Originally, the presidential and National Assembly elections had been fixed for February 20, 2027, while governorship polls were slated for March 6, 2027.
However, discussions between electoral officials and principal officers of the Senate and House of Representatives have reportedly produced a consensus around the January timeline, though lawmakers are still expected to formally debate and decide on the proposal.
The development comes on the heels of a temporary suspension of work on the harmonisation of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill by both chambers of the legislature.
Lawmakers are set to reconvene for an emergency plenary session on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, where the proposed changes to the election schedule are expected to take centre stage.
Concerns over the earlier February 20 date played a significant role in the reconsideration.
The date falls within the Ramadan period in 2027, projected to run from February 7 to March 8. Muslim groups and several political stakeholders had expressed worries that holding elections during the fasting season could affect voter turnout and overall participation.
Although February 13 had briefly surfaced as a possible alternative, fresh consultations appear to have shifted momentum toward January instead.
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If the proposal is eventually approved, the January 16 presidential election would rank among the earliest conducted since the return to democratic rule in 1999, marking a notable shift in Nigeria’s electoral calendar.
