ATIKU URGES INEC TO RESCHEDULE 2027 ELECTIONS, WARNS IT CLASHES WITH RAMADAN
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By: Sefiu Ajape
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to “immediately reconsider the date fixed for the 2027 general election,” warning that the timing clashes with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
INEC announced on Friday that presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for February 20, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls will be held on March 6, 2027. The Commission stated that the dates were selected “in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
However, the timetable has drawn criticism because Ramadan is projected to begin around February 8 and end around March 10, 2027, meaning both election dates fall within the fasting period.
In a statement on Friday, Atiku said the February 20 date sits “squarely within the Ramadan period,” describing the season as one of “fasting, reflection, and spiritual devotion for millions of Nigerian Muslims.”
He emphasized that elections go beyond routine administrative procedures, requiring “maximum participation, physical endurance, and collective focus.”
“Fixing such a critical civic exercise in the middle of a major religious observance reflects poor judgment and a troubling lack of sensitivity to the nation’s socio-religious realities,” he said.
The former Vice-President added that in a plural society like Nigeria, inclusive decision-making is essential rather than optional, noting that selecting a date “that accommodates broad public interests speaks to competence and foresight.”
He further questioned, “If INEC struggles with getting a simple matter of timing right, Nigerians are justified in asking: what assurance do we have that it will competently deliver free, fair, and credible elections in 2027?”
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