INEC May Seek Legislative Intervention over Clash of 2027 Elections’ Timetable with Ramadan Period

. House to hold emergency session Tuesday over election timetable

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is currently undertaking consultations and may, where necessary, seek appropriate legislative intervention to address concerns about the clash between the 2027 elections and Ramadan fasting, while ensuring any adjustment remains consistent with constitutional and statutory requirements.

This is just as the House of Representatives will reconvene for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 17, to deliberate on issues arising from the timetable for the 2027 general election.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Friday announced at a press conference that the presidential and National Assembly elections would be held on Saturday,  February 20, 2027, while the governorship and state Assembly elections were scheduled for Saturday, March 6, 2027.

Amupitan said the timetable was issued in compliance with the 1999 Constitution and Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the commission to publish a notice of election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for the poll.

But former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others called on the commission to urgently reconsider the February 20, 2027 date, noting that it falls squarely within the Ramadan period, February 7 – March 8, 2027.

In a swift response, INEC National Commissioner, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, in a statement explained that the timetable was developed in strict compliance with the timelines contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, and the INEC Guidelines and Regulations for the Conduct of Elections, 2022.

He maintained that the commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, made since 2019, fixed the dates of elections.

Haruna noted that Paragraph 2 of the Regulation provides: “Election to the office of president and vice president, as well as National Assembly, shall hold on the Third Saturday of February of any general election year, while election to the office of governor and deputy governor and the state Houses of Assembly shall hold two weeks thereafter.”

“Accordingly, and in faithful observance of these extant legal and regulatory provisions, the commission fixed Saturday, 20th February 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections and Saturday, 6th March 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.”

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Haruna said the commission had taken due notice of stakeholders’ concerns about the coincidence of the scheduled dates with certain nationally recognised holidays and observances.

The commission promised to remain sensitive to all legitimate concerns that may affect electoral participation and the overall conduct of elections.

“In view of these representations, the commission is currently undertaking consultations and may, where necessary, seek appropriate legislative intervention to address the concerns raised, while ensuring that any adjustment remains consistent with constitutional and statutory requirements,” Haruna said

House to Hold Emergency Session Tuesday over Election Timetable

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives will reconvene for an emergency sitting on Tuesday, February 17, to deliberate on issues arising from the timetable for the 2027 general election.

This was disclosed in a press statement issued at the weekend by the House Spokesperson, Akin Rotimi.

The upper chamber had adjourned for two weeks to enable its standing committees conduct 2026 budget defence sessions for the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The statement noted that the decision to hold an emergency session was conveyed to lawmakers in an internal memorandum issued late Friday by the Office of the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, highlighting the constitutional and national significance of the development and the need for timely legislative consideration.

The House said its emergency sitting would focus on legislative matters connected to the announcement, in line with its constitutional responsibilities.

The statement noted that all business relating to the development would be treated expeditiously and urged members to prioritise attendance given the importance of the deliberations.

“The emergency sitting reflects the resolve of the House to respond promptly to issues with far-reaching implications for the nation’s democratic process. Deliberations will focus on relevant legislative matters connected to the announcement, in line with the constitutional responsibilities of the National Assembly,” it read.

The emergency session comes amid ongoing legislative efforts to amend the Electoral Act, which have faced setbacks at the National Assembly.