The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, lift the ban on public campaigns for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The commencement of campaigns is the sixth activity on INEC’s timetable for the 2027 general elections and is in accordance with Section 98(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which allows political parties to begin public campaigns 150 days before polling day. Campaigns must end 24 hours before the election.
Political parties also have until August 22 to replace candidates who withdraw from the race. Candidates wishing to withdraw must submit their notice in writing by the same deadline. Meanwhile, parties have until August 29 to submit the nomination forms of their sponsored candidates to INEC. The commission is expected to publish the final list of candidates on September 12, at least 60 days before the election.
PDP declares readiness The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also declared that it is prepared for the 2027 general elections. PDP National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed made the declaration while receiving a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI). He said the party remains committed to providing responsible leadership and is present across Nigeria’s 36 states, the FCT and 774 local government areas.
The IRI delegation, led by its African Regional Director Jenai Cox, is in Nigeria to assess preparations for the 2027 elections and engage political parties and other stakeholders. Cox said the delegation would examine the political environment, campaign preparations and other issues ahead of the election before presenting preliminary recommendations to stakeholders later in the week.
The lifting of the campaign ban marks a major step toward the 2027 general elections, with political parties now formally entering the public campaign phase.
