.Says, it will help address logistic challenges
ABUJA: In a bold stroke that could reshape the very architecture of Nigeria’s democracy, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC under Professor Mahmood Yakubu has done what no predecessor dared: fix Nigeria’s general election dates for the next four decades.
For decades, uncertainty over election timetables was a weapon in the hands of political actors, a source of anxiety for voters, and a logistical nightmare for INEC itself.
Dates were shifted at whim, often announced late and frequently marred by litigations and controversies. Election dates were often shrouded in uncertainty, leaving political parties, candidates and voters scrambling at the last minute. That era is now history. That disorder is now over.
Yakubu has anchored Nigeria’s general elections to a permanent schedule: Presidential and National Assembly elections every third Saturday in February. Governorship and State Assembly elections exactly two weeks later.
This simple but seismic reform eliminates ambiguity and forces every stakeholder – political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society, and even international observers – to prepare years ahead. The calendar for the next 10 general elections, running from 2027 to 2063, has already been released, locking Nigeria’s democratic rhythm into predictable cycles.
Speaking to News Hub Nigeria on the rationale, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, said certainty and early planning underscored the Commission’s decision.
“We wanted a situation where all the stakeholders connected to the general election in Nigeria—political parties, voters, civil society and others—would know when exactly our general election will take place in every election year and plan ahead for it. That also means that INEC will be in the position to put the necessary logistics in place, well ahead of the polls,” he explained.
Oyekanmi noted that INEC’s approach mirrors global best practice: “In other jurisdictions, like the United States, the presidential election holds every four years on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. At the Commission, we already have a practice of early preparations, using our 4-year Strategic Plan, Election Project Plan and the Election Monitoring and Support Centre to determine our needs. Our ability to plan ahead has also been buoyed by the provision in the Electoral Act 2022, which makes it mandatory for election funds to be provided one year before the polls”, he told News Hub Nigeria.
While acknowledging that not every aspect of logistics is under INEC’s control, Oyekanmi pointed out that the Commission has taken proactive steps: “We don’t have all the vehicles, aircraft, and boats that we need for movement of materials and personnel. That is why we came up with the idea of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with service providers to ensure that things work according to plan.”
Analysts say the implications are enormous. First, political parties will no longer hide under the excuse of short notice to botch primaries or manipulate candidate selection. Second, security agencies will have no alibi for poor preparation, as dates are now immovable. Third, citizens can hold INEC accountable with unprecedented precision.
Critics, however, warn that fixing dates decades ahead is not enough; credibility will still hinge on the Commission’s ability to deliver free, fair, and transparent polls. “An election calendar is only as strong as the political will to defend it,” Ibrahim Kazaure a lecturer and constitutional lawyer told our correspondent.
Still, the move represents a structural leap. Nigeria, long plagued by shifting timetables and last-minute improvisations, now joins mature democracies where election dates are national fixtures, not political bargaining chips.
The next 10 general elections have already been mapped out:
2027: Presidential & NASS – February 20 | Governorship & State Assembly – March 6
2031: February 16 & March 1
2035: February 17 & March 3
2039: February 19 & March 5
2043: February 21 & March 7
2047: February 16 & March 2
2051: February 18 & March 4
2055: February 20 & March 6
2059: February 15 & March 1
2063: February 17 & March 3
With nearly a hundred million registered voters and still counting, and with 176,974 polling units, many do which are far-flunged, Nigeria’s general elections have often been dogged by logistical chaos.
However, by locking in these dates decades ahead, Nigeria has joined the league of democracies where elections are not just an event, but a fixture that citizens can bank on.
Political watchers say this regularization will not only deepen democratic culture but also cut down the controversies, litigation, and logistical chaos that have long dogged Nigeria’s electoral process.
For better or worse, the calendar is now a historic stride towards electoral certainty. From February 20, 2027, to March 3, 2063, Nigeria’s democratic future is already inked. The question is: will the political class rise to meet it?
For once, politicians and voters alike can already circle their calendars — all the way to 2063.
