•Femi Falana
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called for the suspension of political campaigns across the country, urging politicians to refocus on governance.
Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made the call in a press statement issued today, lamenting that the growing emphasis on political campaigns has led to the neglect of governance.
He noted that several political parties have already commenced campaigns despite elections being about 10 months away, with ongoing celebrations of defections by governors and legislators.
“The abandonment of governance for political campaigns has directly led to widespread kidnapping, and the reckless killing of citizens by terrorists, bandits, and other armed gangs, weak accountability and deep poverty.
“It is sad to note that while huge public funds are wasted on illegal political campaigns, the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory and the majority of the states have refused to pay counterpart funds to access the matching grant of N98 billion in the account of the Universal Basic Education Commission,” Falana said.
Falana also reminded political parties of Section 98(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which stipulates the legal timeframe for campaigns.
“For the purpose of this Act, the period of campaigning in public by every political party shall commence 150 days before polling day and end 24 hours prior to that day.
“We are compelled to call on the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, and the State Security Service to halt further political campaigns in strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2006,” he added.
INEC Timetable
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revised the timetable for the 2027 general elections following concerns that the earlier February schedule coincided with the Ramadan fast observed by Muslim faithful.
The Commission had initially scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, February 20, 2027, and the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections for Saturday, March 6, 2027.
However, following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC said it reviewed and realigned the schedule to ensure compliance with the new legal framework.
Under the revised timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are slated for Saturday, February 6, 2027.
Key Milestones Before 2027
INEC also outlined critical timelines ahead of the elections. Party primaries, including dispute resolution, are scheduled to hold from April 23 to May 30, 2026.
Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while governorship and state Assembly campaigns are set to commence on September 9, 2026.
“As provided by law, campaigns shall end 24 hours before Election Day. Political parties are strongly advised to adhere strictly to these timelines. The Commission will enforce compliance with the law.”
INEC added that the revised timetable aligns with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and has been published across its official platforms.
