Atiku questions INEC’s timing of 2027 elections during Muslim holy month

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged INEC to reconsider the February 20, 2027 election date, warning it could suppress voter turnout as it coincides with Ramadan.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently review the February 20, 2027 date set for Nigeria’s general elections, citing concerns that it falls during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. In a statement shared on his social media platform, Atiku warned that the timing could limit voter participation.

Atiku argued that scheduling a crucial civic exercise during a sacred period of fasting, prayer, and spiritual reflection “lacks sensitivity to the country’s socio-religious realities and could undermine inclusivity in the electoral process.” He further stressed that elections “demand maximum participation, physical endurance and collective focus,” concerns he said might not be fully met during Ramadan, anticipated to run from February 7 to March 8, 2027.

He also questioned INEC’s competence in planning such a basic logistical issue, suggesting that if the commission struggles with timing, Nigerians might doubt its ability to deliver free, fair, and credible elections next year. The controversy follows INEC’s announcement that the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on February 20, with governorship and state assembly polls scheduled for March 6, as part of the constitutional timetable released in Abuja.

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