Nigeria’s major opposition parties have expressed readiness for the 2027 general elections following the release of the timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission, while demanding credible and transparent polls.
The Peoples Democratic Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the African Democratic Congress said they were prepared to participate, but stressed that the integrity of the process would determine the legitimacy of the outcome.
According to INEC, the presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on February 20, 2027, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for March 6, 2027.
Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly polls will run from November 18, 2026, to February 19, 2027. Governorship and state Assembly campaigns will begin on December 15, 2026, and end on March 5, 2027, 24 hours before the elections.
Political parties are expected to conduct primaries between July 1 and September 30, 2026, and submit their candidates’ lists between October 1 and October 31, 2026.
PDP declares readiness
The PDP National Caretaker Committee, aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, said the party was fully prepared for the elections.
In a statement, the committee’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, urged members and aspirants to remain focused, assuring them that internal disputes and pending litigations would be resolved ahead of the primaries window.
“The PDP is fully prepared to meet all constitutional and regulatory requirements within the stipulated timelines,” the statement read, while reaffirming the party’s commitment to offering what it described as credible leadership in 2027.
Separately, the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee of the PDP also declared readiness for the polls, provided INEC guarantees free, fair and credible elections.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said, “Whenever INEC is ready for the elections, the PDP will be ready, provided it can guarantee free, fair and credible elections.”
NNPP faults election budget
The NNPP welcomed the timetable but urged INEC to use the intervening period to prepare for an election acceptable to Nigerians and the international community.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the party’s spokesperson, Ladipo Johnson, expressed concern over the N873.778bn budgeted for the elections, describing it as excessive.
“What are they using that huge amount for? Are they building new mobile phone towers to transmit results? I don’t know what they budgeted N800bn for, but it sounds ridiculous,” he said.
ADC seeks real-time transmission
The ADC also welcomed the timetable but said the credibility of the elections would depend on transparent procedures, particularly the real-time electronic transmission of results.
In a statement, its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said while the early release of the timetable allows for proper planning, public confidence would rest on INEC’s commitment to transparency and technological integrity.
He urged the commission to clarify its readiness to adopt real-time transmission if legal amendments are enacted and called on the National Assembly to remove ambiguities in the Electoral Act.
“Nigerians have shown, time and again, that they are ready to defend the sanctity of their votes. What is now required is for the electoral umpire to match that civic vigilance with institutional clarity, operational transparency and administrative excellence,” he said.
