Gbenga Hashim to INEC: 2027 timetable could trigger crisis

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — Former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has warned that the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the 2027 general elections could deepen political tension and destabilise party structures across the country.

Hashim said the compressed schedule was already creating pressure within the political system, fuelling internal disputes and raising fresh concerns over how parties would conduct primaries and complete candidates’ nominations ahead of the elections.

The former presidential candidate spoke while criticising INEC’s election calendar, which he described as unlawful, unworkable and insensitive to Nigeria’s political and religious realities, particularly the decision to fix politically sensitive activities around Hajj and Ileya (Eid al-Adha).

“Combining election primaries with periods such as Hajj and Ileya, which already carry security and mobility challenges, is unreasonable,” he said.

Hashim warned that scheduling party primaries during major religious activities could worsen security pressures and trigger avoidable disruptions nationwide.

According to him, party primaries are already high-tension exercises that require careful planning, enough time and proper coordination to manage internal disagreements and security concerns.

“Why adopt a chaotic timetable circumventing the provisions of the Act?” Hashim queried.

He argued that the Electoral Act already provided enough time for parties to conclude nominations without forcing the political process into what he described as a chaotic schedule.

Citing Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, Hashim said parties were only required to submit nominations not later than 120 days before elections, a provision, he said, effectively allowed them until mid-September to complete nomination processes.

The former presidential candidate also disclosed that he had earlier written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging intervention to ensure INEC strictly complied with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

He, however, said no response had been received.

Hashim maintained that compressing major political activities and sensitive religious obligations into the same period unnecessarily raised national risk and could weaken stability within parties, ahead of the 2027 elections.

He warned that failure to review the timetable could further deepen political tension and erode public confidence in the electoral process before Nigerians head to the polls in 2027.

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