How court rulings pushed eight states off the 2027 ballot
While most states are preparing for synchronised governorship elections in 2027, eight will not participate. Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun are excluded from the general cycle.
While most states are preparing for synchronised governorship elections in 2027, eight will not participate. Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun are excluded from the general cycle. Court rulings annulled disputed results and reset their electoral calendars.
In contrast, countries such as the United States maintain fixed statewide cycles for most governorship elections, with few exceptions. By comparison, Nigeria’s pattern is distinct, as judicial interventions have created a staggered electoral landscape, making synchronisation more challenging than in many other democracies.
For INEC, this anomaly breaks elections into a series of ongoing state contests.
The administrative challenges are considerable. INEC must repeatedly mobilise staff, materials, and security for elections in different states at irregular intervals, keeping the organisation in a constant state of readiness. This increases logistical burdens, as transporting sensitive materials and updating voter registers multiple times outside the main election window adds to the load.
Financially, resources could be focused on a single, well-planned exercise. Instead, they are spread thin, with repeated costs for training, outreach, and logistics. Unpredictable timing also complicates coordination with local authorities. It strains oversight and increases the risk of errors or disruptions.
The divergence began more than 20 years ago, when tribunals overturned flawed elections, resulting in Anambra’s off-cycle schedule. This began in 2006 after the Court of Appeal removed Chris Ngige and installed Peter Obi, who served a shortened term and reset the state’s calendar. On November 8, 2025, Charles Soludo of APGA was re-elected to serve until 2029. Thus, Anambra will not join the 2027 national race.
Imo State’s schedule changed after the Supreme Court’s January 14, 2020, ruling. This ruling invalidated Emeka Ihedioha’s 2019 victory and declared Hope Uzodimma the winner. The delayed swearing-in on January 15 disrupted the standard cycle. Imo’s polls now align with off-season dates, such as Bayelsa and Kogi.
Imo’s first off-cycle governorship election happened on November 11, 2023. This four-year term ends in January 2028, outside the national cycle.
Legal battles also changed the electoral calendars in the South-South. In Edo, Adams Oshiomhole’s successful 2008 tribunal challenge nullified Oserheimen Osunbor’s win. This shifted the state’s election cycle to September. On September 21, 2024, Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the latest off-cycle poll. This extends Edo’s schedule to 2028.
In Bayelsa, a 2008 court ruling annulled Timipre Sylva’s victory. This led to a rerun and permanently shifted the state’s schedule. The state is now led by Governor Douye Diri, who recently defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC. Bayelsa will hold its next governorship election in late 2027, several months after the national polls.
In the Southwest, judicial interventions have created parallel timetables. In Ondo State, a 2009 Court of Appeal ruling in favour of Olusegun Mimiko shifted the governorship elections. The most recent election, held on November 16, 2024, re-elected Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who will serve until 2028. As a result, Ondo will not participate in 2027.
In Ekiti, a 2010 Court of Appeal ruling named Kayode Fayemi the winner over Olusegun Oni, thereby resetting the electoral cycle. Governor Biodun Oyebanji will run for re-election in June 2026, a year before the national vote.
In Osun, a 2010 ruling brought Rauf Aregbesola to power and shifted the calendar; as a result, Governor Ademola Adeleke is preparing for an August 2026 governorship poll, so Osun will not participate in the 2027 general election.
Read Also: Qualcomm: Nigeria, others’ startups push AI, 5G boundaries
In the North-Central, a similar pattern exists: Kogi’s cycle was disrupted when a 2015 court ruling nullified Idris Wada’s election. Usman Ododo won the most recent off-cycle election on November 11, 2023, and his term will last until 2027. Talks of a 2027 challenge have already started.
For INEC, this fragmented landscape means continuous activity. Between 2025 and 2027, the commission will conduct at least six separate governorship elections outside the national window, stretching resources and increasing voter fatigue. As Nigeria approaches 2027, one question remains: how long can a democracy sustain two parallel electoral systems before calls for constitutional harmonisation become unavoidable?
One solution is to amend the constitution to align governorship terms and set a uniform electoral calendar. Legislators could use transitional provisions and extend some incumbents’ tenures to synchronise state and national election cycles.
Alternatively, targeted legislation could empower INEC to coordinate off-cycle elections, reducing overlap and optimising resource allocation by streamlining schedules. These reforms would foster debate on how best to restore coherence and efficiency to Nigeria’s governorship election process.
