The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted the Osun State governorship election from August 8 to August 15, as part of a broader revision of the 2027 general election timetable.
According to a statement by INEC’s Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the presidential and National Assembly elections are now scheduled for January 16, while governorship and House of Assembly polls will hold on February 6. Haruna did not provide a reason for the one-week adjustment in Osun.
The revised timetable follows the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which replaced the 2022 law and introduced changes to statutory timelines for pre-election activities.
“Following the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, the Commission has reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework,” the statement read.
Key Dates for Parties
Haruna highlighted milestones under the new timetable:
Party primaries, including resolution of disputes, will run from April 23 to May 30, 2026.
Presidential and National Assembly campaigns begin August 19, 2026.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly campaigns start September 9, 2026.
Campaigns end 24 hours before the respective election dates.
The commissioner urged political parties to strictly adhere to the timeline, warning that INEC will enforce compliance. He also emphasized that remaining activities for the Ekiti State and Osun polls will follow the new law.
The revised dates have intensified pressure on political parties. The All Progressives Congress (APC), currently holding ward and local government congresses, faces adjustments to its planned state congresses on March 2 & 3 and the national convention next month.
Other parties, including the Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), must also adjust their congress and convention schedules to comply with INEC’s new calendar.
Haruna concluded by urging all stakeholders to ensure peaceful and credible elections, calling the process a collective responsibility. “The successful conduct of the forthcoming elections remains a collective responsibility.
All stakeholders must cooperate to ensure elections reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people,” he said.