INEC Warns Against Early Campaigns Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued a strong warning to politicians and political parties against embarking on premature campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement released by Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, the commission emphasized that it has not yet published the official timetable or schedule of activities for the 2027 elections. As such, any form of political campaigning at this stage is illegal.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission has not released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Elections. As such, no political party has conducted primaries or nominated any candidate for the election,” the statement read.

Citing Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act, INEC reminded all political actors that campaigns are only permitted to commence 150 days before an election and must end 24 hours prior to the poll.

The commission also referenced Section 95(1) of the Electoral Act, which mandates that all campaigns must comply with INEC regulations.

“While citizens are free to express political opinions, organised endorsements, mobilisation drives, and campaign-style advertisements promoting potential candidates before the official campaign window are prohibited,” the statement added.

INEC noted that this concern had been raised during its last meeting with political parties, where all stakeholders were urged to strictly adhere to the laws governing elections.

The commission’s warning comes amid a noticeable surge in public endorsements and campaign posters promoting President Bola Tinubu’s potential second-term bid across parts of the country.