Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied reports claiming it has released a timetable for the 2027 general elections, describing the information as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday, INEC said no official schedule of activities for the upcoming elections had been announced. The statement was signed by Mr Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman.
The commission said it was aware of reports circulating in some sections of the media suggesting that preparations for the 2027 polls had already been outlined. INEC stressed that such claims did not originate from the electoral body.
“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.
According to the commission, it operates strictly within the provisions of Nigerian law and would not release any election timetable outside the legal framework. It cited Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires a notice of election to be published no later than 360 days before the date fixed for a general election.
INEC said any timetable issued outside this timeframe could not be genuine. It added that all its actions are guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act.
The electoral body assured Nigerians that the official timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections would be released at the appropriate time and through its recognised communication channels.
INEC also urged the public and the media to ignore the reports currently in circulation and to rely only on information published on its official platforms for accurate updates.