Official campaigns for the upcoming governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections across the country officially kick off today, September 8, in compliance with the schedule set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC schedule for the 2027 election indicates that public campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly positions officially commenced three weeks ago on August 19.
Today’s opening of the political space allows candidates vying for executive seats in 28 states and various state legislative constituencies to take their manifestos directly to the electorate through public rallies, media campaigns, townhall meetings and other platforms,
Checks by our correspondent reveal that major political organisations, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have fielded governorship candidates in all the 28 participating states.
However, despite the formal lifting of the ban on public campaigns, a persistent wave of administrative delay hangs over key political parties.
Nearly three weeks after national campaign activities were legally cleared to begin, several major political platforms have yet to establish or fully activate their campaign councils.
The APC, which recently announced the composition of its national campaign council, has been unable to inaugurate the body.
Sources within the party indicate that the delay stems from public pushback and internal complaints regarding the inclusion of certain controversial figures on the membership list.
The party leadership is currently reviewing these appointments and possibly expand the composition of the council before an official inauguration can take place.
Similarly, opposition parties—including the NDC, ADC, and PDP—are yet to inaugurate their central structures or state-level campaign committees.
Political analysts attribute this inertia to unresolved friction following party primaries, financial constraints, and ongoing negotiations surrounding tactical alliances ahead of the general polls.
With the 150-day campaign window now fully open for state elections, stakeholders expect a surge in political activities in the coming weeks as parties work to finalize their structures and mobilize grassroots voters across the federation.
Daily Trust reports that election will not hold in eight states: Imo, Ondo, Osun, Bayelsa, Edo, Kogi, Ekiti and Anambra states as their election cycles differ from the general one.
(Source: Daily Trust with modified headline)
