Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has dismissed claims circulating online and in some media reports that it has issued the timetable and schedule of activities for the country’s 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, the Commission described the reports as false and misleading, insisting that no such timetable has been released.
Okay News reports that the Commission stressed that it remains bound strictly by the provisions of Nigerian law in conducting and preparing for elections.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission wishes to categorically refute reports circulating in some quarters claiming that the Commission has released the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election,” the statement said.
“The Commission wishes to state clearly that this information is false and misleading. INEC has not released any timetable or schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election.”
INEC explained that its actions are guided by the Electoral Act, 2022, particularly Section 28(1), which stipulates the timeframe within which a notice of election must be published.
“The Commission reiterates that it operates strictly within the provisions of the law. In particular, Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that the Commission shall publish a Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for a general election,” the statement emphasised.
It added that any timetable or schedule purportedly released outside this legal window could not have originated from the Commission.
According to INEC, preparations for the 2027 polls will be communicated officially and transparently once the appropriate statutory conditions are met.
The Commission assured Nigerians and international observers that the eventual timetable would fully comply with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), as well as the Electoral Act, 2022.
INEC also urged members of the public and the media to disregard unofficial information and rely only on announcements published through its verified channels for accurate and authoritative updates on Nigeria’s electoral process.
