Former presidential aspirant, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing it as unlawful, unworkable, and insensitive to Nigeria’s political and religious realities.
Hashim said the electoral schedule was creating avoidable tension within the political system and could destabilise political parties ahead of the elections.
Speaking on the development, he argued that the compressed timetable does not give political parties sufficient time to properly conduct internal democratic processes and primary elections.
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According to him, the situation is already mounting pressure on political parties and contributing to rising internal disputes across the country.
Hashim disclosed that he had earlier written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to ensure that INEC strictly complies with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He, however, noted that there had been no response to his appeal.
The former presidential candidate also faulted INEC for fixing politically sensitive activities around major religious events such as Hajj and Ileya (Eid al-Adha).
“Combining election primaries with periods like Hajj and Ileya, which already carry security and mobility challenges, is unreasonable,” he said.
Hashim warned that party primaries already generate tension and security concerns, stressing that merging them with major religious obligations could worsen instability and create avoidable disruptions nationwide.
He maintained that the Electoral Act already provides adequate time for political parties to complete their nomination processes without resorting to what he described as a “chaotic timetable.”
Citing Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, Hashim said political parties are only required to submit names of candidates not later than 120 days before elections, arguing that the law effectively gives parties until mid-September to conclude their primaries.
“Why adopt a chaotic timetable circumventing the provisions of the Act?” he queried.
Hashim further warned that failure to review the timetable could deepen political tension and weaken public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
