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Finally, INEC has released 2027 election timetable; February 20 for presidential and national assembly, March 6 for gubernatorial and state assemblies.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, on Thursday formally set in motion the electoral process for the 2027 general election, announcing that the Presidential and National Assembly polls will hold on February 20, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on March 6, 2027.

Briefing journalists, the INEC Chairman said the announcement was in strict compliance with constitutional and statutory provisions guiding the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

“By virtue of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, the tenure of the President, the Vice-President, the Governors, and Deputy Governors of states of the Federation, except Anambra State, Bayasa State, Edo States, Ekiti States, Imo State, Ogi, Kondo, and National States, will expire on the 28th day of May, 2027,” he said.

He added that, “membership of the National and State Assemblies will stand dissolved on the 8th day of June, 2021.”

Citing constitutional timelines, Amupitan explained: “Pursuant to Section 76(2), 116(2), 132(2), and 178(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, elections to the said offices shall hold not earlier than 150 days, and not later than 30 days, before the expiration of the term of office of the holders.”

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He stressed that the Commission’s action was in line with the law.

“This action we are taking today is pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria, and in particular, Section 28, subsection 1 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which mandates the Commission to publish the notice of election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for the election,” he said.

Reaffirming INEC’s independence, the Chairman stated: “Let me reiterate that the authority and power to publish the date of election is that of the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

He outlined the scope of the 2027 polls, noting that, “The 2027 general election will hold nationwide for the following offices: President and Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Governors and Deputy Governors of the states of the Federation, except those states I had mentioned; members of the Senate; members of the House of Representatives; and members of the Houses of Assembly of states.”

Formally declaring the commencement of the process, Amupitan said: “Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred on the Commission by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, and the Electoral Act of 2022, and all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Commission hereby sets in motion the electoral process for the 2027 general election, and fixes the date of the 2027 general election as follows: Presidential and National Assembly election will come on the 20th February, 2027; Governorship and State Houses of Assembly will be on the 6th March, 2027.”

According to him, “The detailed timetable and schedule of activities have been uploaded to the Commission’s website this morning, and have been circulated to registered political parties and relevant stakeholders.”

He directed that, “All the 36 Resident Electoral Commissioners and that of the FCT are hereby directed to publish the notices in each constituency in respect of which an election is to be held.”

“These dates reflect our commitment to ensuring that our electoral processes are transparent, credible, and adhere to the provisions of our laws,” he added.

On the next steps, the INEC Chairman said: “In accordance with the approved timetable and schedule of activities, primaries will be conducted within the statutory period stipulated by law. Submissions of nomination forms by political parties will commence and close within the designated windows as provided in the schedule, which I will just release. Campaigns by political parties shall commence on the date specified by law and end 24 hours before the election.”

He also addressed the proposed changes to Nigeria’s electoral laws currently before lawmakers.

“I must also take a moment to address the current Electoral Amendment Bill that is pending in the National Assembly. This Bill has sparked important discussions and concern among the various stakeholders in our democracy,” he said.

“We recognise the necessity of enhancing our electoral framework to ensure that it meets the ever-evolving needs of our society and reflects our aspiration for free, fair, and credible election.”

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A Nigerian man identified as Abubakar Adamu has appealed to the federal government to facilitate his return to Nigeria, alleging that he was misled into joining the Russian military after being promised civilian employment.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-terrorism publication, Adamu’s legal team has formally alerted Nigerian authorities about his situation.

They explained that he travelled to Moscow on a tourist visa issued on October 16, 2025, by the Russian Embassy in Abuja, believing he had secured a job as a sentry.

However, upon arrival, his passport and other travel documents were allegedly taken from him.

His lawyers claim he was compelled to sign enlistment papers written entirely in Russian, without any translation or interpreter present. It was only afterward that he realised he had been enlisted into the Russian army.

They further stated that Adamu is currently at a Russian military camp and has refused deployment to combat zones in Ukraine, leaving him stranded.

The case comes amid heightened scrutiny over reports that African nationals have been drawn into Russia’s war effort under questionable circumstances. On Thursday, February 12, Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence announced that it had recovered the bodies of two Nigerians in the Luhansk region who were allegedly fighting for Russia.

The men, identified as Hamzat Kazeem Kolawole, 42, and Mbah Stephen Udoka, 38, reportedly died in late November 2025, only months after joining the Russian military.

A recent CNN investigation described how individuals from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda were allegedly enticed to Russia with promises of civilian jobs, including driving and security work.

The report claimed that some were instead forced into military service with minimal preparation before being sent to the front lines.

In response to the allegations, Russian ambassador to Nigeria Andrey Podyelyshev denied that the Kremlin was involved in any such recruitment programme, dismissing the claims earlier this week.

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By Gloria Ikibah

Tempers flared at the National Assembly on Thursday as lawmakers took a hard line against two federal agencies during a tense 2026 budget defence session in Abuja.

The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Engineering halted consideration of the 2026 budget proposal of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), escalating the matter by moving to strip the agency of its allocation entirely from the national appropriation bill.

The committee also resolved to recommend the removal of NACETEM’s Director-General, Dr Olushola Odusanya, over his failure to appear before the panel to defend the agency’s budget and submit the documents required for legislative scrutiny.

Lawmakers described the absence as unacceptable, stressing that public officials are accountable to the legislature.

The committee maintained that no appointee should consider themselves above parliamentary oversight, particularly in matters concerning public funds.

Members warned that the decision will send a clear signal to other heads of agencies about the consequences of disregarding invitations from the National Assembly.

The standoff effectively leaves NACETEM facing the prospect of zero allocation in 2026 unless the matter is revisited.

In a separate but equally probing session, the committee turned its attention to the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology (NiCFOST), where concerns were raised over both its 2025 budget performance and its 2026 proposal.

Lawmakers were troubled by the council’s low internally generated revenue, reported at roughly N385,000 in 2024 and N285,860 in 2025. The figures stood in stark contrast to a sharp rise in overhead costs, which nearly doubled from N95.40 million in 2025 to N195.73 million in the 2026 proposal.

The council’s registrar explained that its revenue is drawn solely from registration fees and annual professional dues paid by its members, numbering about 10,000. Registration is set at N5,000, while annual dues stand at N2,000.

However, she was unable to account for the significant jump in overhead expenditure, noting that the increase was not part of the estimates initially submitted to the Budget Office.
The committee ruled that the discrepancies warranted further examination and indicated that NiCFOST would be summoned again for additional clarification before any final decision is taken.

With scrutiny tightening and patience wearing thin, agencies appearing before the National Assembly this budget season may be under pressure to come better prepared — or risk paying a steep price.