Groups Fault INEC’s Proposed 2027 Election Timetable

Islamic human rights organisations, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) and the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), have picked holes in the 2027 election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.

In a statement issued by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group noted that INEC presumed that there were no Muslims in Nigeria.

He described the timetable as exclusive, insensitive and provocative.

“INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan announced the timetable and schedule of the 2027 elections at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, Friday, 13 February 2027.

According to the timetable, presidential and National Assembly elections would take place on 20th February 2027, while governorship and State Assembly polls are scheduled for 6th March 2027.

“Ramadan is projected to start around 8th February, 2027 and end about 10th March, 2027. This implies that all the election dates fall within the holy month of Ramadan.

“This is not only audacious and outrageous, but it is also exclusive, insensitive and provocative. It is equally preposterous, atrocious and luciferous. MURIC strongly condemns this election timetable. It came without brakes from the pit of jahannam.

In the same vein, the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review its proposed 2027 general election timetable, which coincides with the sacred month of Ramadan.

MPAC’s Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, said on Sunday that the appeal stems from a commitment to fairness and inclusivity, rather than from opposition to democracy.

According to the group, as a nation built on diversity, Nigeria’s strength lies in its ability to accommodate and respect the needs of all citizens.

“With over 200 million people, our national institutions must prioritise fairness and equity in decision-making. Scheduling a major national exercise like a general election during Ramadan, a month of obligatory fasting for millions of Muslims, raises legitimate concerns that warrant consideration”, it said.

MPAC emphasised that this appeal was not driven by sectarian interests but by a desire to ensure that all citizens can fully participate in the electoral process, saying, “We believe that a slight adjustment to the election timetable would be a testament to INEC’s commitment to fairness and national cohesion.

“Ramadan is not a symbolic ritual. It is a compulsory act of worship that demands physical endurance, spiritual discipline, and heightened devotion. Fasting Muslims abstain from food and water from dawn until sunset. In many parts of Nigeria, especially in the North, this coincides with intense heat.

“Elections in Nigeria are already physically demanding: long queues, delayed commencement, logistical bottlenecks, and exposure to harsh weather. Expecting citizens and electoral officials to shoulder these rigours while fasting inevitably imposes an additional burden.”