The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded work on the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election but is unable to release it due to ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
Amupitan said the delay in releasing the timetable was not the fault of the commission, stressing that INEC had already complied with Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which empowers it to issue a notice of election not later than 360 days before polling day.
“Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 empowers the Commission to issue a notice of election not later than 360 days before the date of the poll. While the National Assembly is currently working on amendments to the Electoral Act, the Commission has made its submission as required,” he said.
He assured political parties and the public that the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election would be released in full compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act once the amendment process is concluded.
Amupitan appealed to civil society groups and other stakeholders to support efforts aimed at urging the National Assembly to expedite action on the amendment process to enable INEC release the timetable without legal constraints.
The INEC chairman also raised concerns over the integrity of the national voters’ register ahead of the 2027 polls, revealing that the commission had discovered names of prominent politicians in records suspected to contain irregularities, including deceased persons.
He said INEC would embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise to address the challenge of ghost voters and restore public confidence in the electoral process.
According to him, while the national register of voters—first compiled ahead of the 2011 general election—has been continuously updated, persistent anomalies such as duplicate registrations, under-age registration, registration by non-citizens, deceased voters and incomplete records remain.
“These anomalies undermine public confidence in the electoral process. Accordingly, the commission will embark on a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of the 2027 general election to further sanitise and strengthen the integrity of the register,” Amupitan said.
On the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, he disclosed that the poll would involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six area councils.
He said non-sensitive materials had already been delivered, ad hoc personnel recruited and trained, while sensitive materials would be deployed a day before the election. A mock accreditation exercise using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will hold on February 7 in 289 selected polling units.
Amupitan added that INEC has accredited 83 domestic and five foreign observers for the FCT elections, while political campaigns are expected to end on February 19.
He further revealed that the commission would conduct bye-elections in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies of Kano State, following vacancies caused by resignations and deaths of lawmakers.
He noted that the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections are already on the electoral timetable for June 20 and August 8, 2026, respectively, with several preparatory activities completed.
Amupitan also disclosed that INEC received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties, but many failed to meet constitutional and legal requirements. Successful associations, he said, would be announced in due course.
He urged CSOs to intensify voter education, mobilise residents in the FCT to collect their Permanent Voter Cards before the February 10 deadline, and monitor political parties’ activities to curb hate speech, vote buying, misinformation and electoral violence.
“As we look towards the 2027 General Election, it is imperative that we remain vigilant and proactive. We must prepare for a seamless electoral process that embodies the ideals of democracy, justice and inclusivity,” he said.
By Friday Olokor, Abuja
Follow us on:
