The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced new dates for the 2027 General Election following public outcry over an earlier timetable that coincided with the Ramadan fasting period.

INEC fixed January 16, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now hold on February 6, 2027.

The announcement was made on Thursday in Abuja by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.

Earlier, the commission had scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and the Governorship and State Assembly polls for March 6, 2027.

However, the dates drew criticism from several stakeholders who argued that they clashed with the holy month of Ramadan, expected to begin on February 8 and end around March 10, 2027, according to the 1448 AH Islamic calendar.

Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, faulted the earlier schedule, stating that elections require maximum participation and physical endurance.

“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.

Similarly, Bashir Ahmad, a former presidential media aide, noted that conducting elections during Ramadan could discourage full participation by a large segment of the population.

Public affairs analyst Hamma Hayatu also predicted that the commission would be compelled to review the dates, while another social media user accused the INEC leadership of insensitivity.

Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), clarified that the commission would issue a revised timetable following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.

President Bola Tinubu recently assented to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, barely 24 hours after it was passed by the National Assembly.

Amupitan explained that although INEC had issued a Notice of Election on February 13, 2026, it was done under the old Electoral Act, as the new law had not yet come into force at the time.

“With the introduction of the new Electoral Act, we have to make some adjustments and issue a revised timetable for the 2027 General Election,” he stated.

He added that the development would require procedural alignments to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework guiding the conduct of elections in Nigeria.