INEC DISMISSES REPORTS OF REVISED 2027 CAMPAIGN TIMETABLE

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By; Sunmola Ganiyat

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that it has revised the campaign timetable for the 2027 general elections.

A graphic circulating online purportedly showed a new campaign timetable, claiming that the commission had adjusted the closing dates for campaigns ahead of the elections.

According to the viral graphic, campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections would end on January 15, 2027, instead of January 14, while campaigns for the governorship and state House of Assembly elections would end on February 5, rather than February 4.

The graphic retained January 16, 2027, as the date for the presidential and National Assembly elections and February 6, 2027, for the governorship and state assembly polls.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, dismissed the purported timetable in an interview with PUNCH Online on Wednesday.

Oketola described the graphic as fake, stressing that it did not originate from the electoral commission.

He said INEC does not issue campaign timetables separately, adding that all official campaign dates are contained in the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections released on February 26, 2026.

The INEC spokesperson urged journalists and members of the public to verify electoral information through the commission’s official communication channels to avoid spreading misinformation and disinformation.

According to the official timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to commence on August 19, 2026, and end on January 14, 2027.

For the governorship and state House of Assembly elections, campaigns will begin on September 9, 2026, and end on February 4, 2027.

The commission maintained that the campaign periods will close 24 hours before the respective elections, in line with the approved timetable.