The 2026 Electoral Act, signed into law in February 2026, provided a 150-day window for campaigns in the lead-up to the 2027 elections. This marked a significant departure from the 90-day window under the 2010 Electoral Act. The longer timeframe aimed to allow politicians sufficient time to cover all 36 state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, without rushing their campaigns. Despite this, the campaign season has gotten off to a slow start.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released an electoral calendar that sanctioned the conduct of primaries between mid-April and the end of May 2026. Campaigns for national elections were set to kick off in August, while state elections were to begin their campaigns in September. This schedule aligns with the 150-day campaign window provided by the Electoral Act. However, rather than seeing a surge in campaign activities, political parties have been tentative in their engagement with the electorate.
Several major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), have yet to inaugurate their campaign councils weeks after the electoral commission lifted the ban on presidential campaigns in August. The APC announced its Presidential Campaign Council on August 22 but failed to inaugurate it, with the party's presidential campaign going on a three-week leave afterwards. The national chairman of the APC, Professor Nentanwe Yilwatda, also embarked on a foreign trip, effectively halting the campaign initiative.
According to Senator Ajibola Bashiru, the national secretary of the APC, the failure to inaugurate the Presidential Campaign Council did not hinder the party's campaign activities. Bashiru stated that the party had already started campaigning, with or without the council's inauguration. Certain members of the campaign council have commenced campaigns for the party's presidential candidate. The party's national leadership has been engaging in campaign activities in various states, including Kano and Rivers.
Other political parties, such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have also delayed announcing their presidential campaign committees. Insiders revealed that party leaders were trying to avoid past pitfalls and blend new and old members effectively. All contending parties in the 2027 race have been guilty of delayed campaign flag-offs, defeating the logic behind the elongated campaign period provided by the Electoral Act.
Sources within the parties cited post-primary peculiarities as a reason for the delayed campaigns. The Accord Party is yet to finalize its presidential candidate due to ongoing judicial issues with its presidential hopeful, Gbenga Hashim. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is also affected by undue mudslinging that appears to characterize the 2027 campaign build-up. These challenges have hindered the parties' ability to effectively utilize the campaign window.
Despite the slow start to the campaign season, politicians are expected to intensify their activities as the 2027 elections approach. The elongated campaign period was intended to allow for more issues-based campaigns and greater engagement with the electorate. However, the current state of affairs suggests that the parties are struggling to capitalize on this opportunity, with many still battling to get their campaigns off the ground.
Key points
- The 2026 Electoral Act provided a 150-day window for campaigns, but political parties have struggled to capitalize on this opportunity.
- Major parties, including the APC, have delayed inaugurating their campaign councils, hindering their campaign activities.
- Post-primary peculiarities, including judicial issues and internal party conflicts, have contributed to the delayed campaigns.
