𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳: 𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗖 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝟯𝟴 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially kicked off the 2027 general elections process, giving Nigeria’s 18 registered political parties a 38-day window to conduct their primaries.

The electoral umpire announced that parties now have from April 23 to May 30, 2026, to hold primaries for presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State Houses of Assembly positions . This period will also accommodate the resolution of any disputes arising from the primaries.

The Commission also confirmed the dates for the main elections: Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027 .

Key Deadlines for Political Parties

As part of the revised guidelines, INEC has directed political parties to submit their membership registers at least 21 days before conducting their primaries . The deadline for submission of all membership registers is May 10, 2026 — an extension from the earlier deadline of April 21, following consultations with party leaders .

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, emphasized that the Commission will strictly enforce adherence to the approved timelines and warned that poor internal democracy within political parties could negatively affect the elections .

“The reduction in timelines creates a compressed operational environment that demands unprecedented speed and precision,” Amupitan said during a technical workshop in Akwa Ibom State. “If unpopular candidates are imposed through non-transparent processes, it can lead to voter apathy and an increase in pre-election litigation” .

Campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while campaigns for Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will commence on September 9, 2026 .

In response to INEC’s announcement, major political parties have begun releasing their primary schedules.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has fixed its presidential primaries for May 15 and 16, with governorship primaries scheduled for May 23 . President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to be the sole aspirant for the APC presidential ticket, with his candidacy likely to be ratified through consensus.

The APC has set its nomination fees at ₦100 million for presidential aspirants, ₦50 million for governorship aspirants, and varying amounts for legislative positions .

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has scheduled its national convention for May 9 and primaries for various positions between May 22 and May 25 .

Leadership Crises Loom

However, not all parties are sailing smoothly into the primary season. The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the leadership tussles within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), heightening uncertainty over the internal stability of both parties ahead of the 2027 elections .

With both major opposition parties entangled in multiple litigations and the looming INEC deadline, their ability to organize a clear schedule of activities has been significantly disrupted, leaving aspirants in a state of uncertainty .

Ethnic youth leaders have commended INEC’s decision to extend the membership register submission deadline to May 10, describing it as a “demonstration of fairness and responsiveness” by the Commission . The extension allows political parties to conduct thorough internal audits and update their membership lists, ensuring that eligible members are not left out .