• Commission should be clean beyond suspicion, says Gambari
• ‘Nigeria already behind schedule for credible 2027 elections’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed as false a circulating article claiming that it has released a timetable for the 2027 General Elections.
  
However, former United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, stressed the need for INEC to be clean and beyond suspicion as a body.
  
The commission stated that it has not published any official schedule, dates or timeline for the 2027 elections. 
  
INEC, in a statement posted on its X handle yesterday, explained that the purported details in the report, including specific election dates, campaign periods, and party primary windows, were entirely fabricated and should be disregarded.
  
The statement reads: “The commission has not released any official timetable, schedule of activities, or dates for the 2027 general elections. Any document or report claiming otherwise is fabricated.
   
“The details in the false article, including specific election dates, campaign periods, and party primary windows, are entirely speculative and without any official basis. They do not represent the plans or position of INEC. For accurate and official information, the public is urged to rely only on INEC’s verified communication channels.”
  
In a separate statement, the commission reminded residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the February 21 Area Council election. 
   
It said it had decided to bring PVCs closer to residents for easier collection, adding that PVC collection in the FCT would hold from January 22 to 26, between 9.00a.m. and 3.00p.m. daily, at respective Registration Areas (Wards).
  
According to the electoral body, after January 26, residents can continue to collect at INEC Area Council offices.

Gambari, who featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’, stated: “INEC is the electoral refereeand, in many ways, the INEC must be like Caesar’s wife beyond suspicion. Maybe we should take a second look at how they (officials) are appointed to ensure they are beyond suspicion and technically competent.
  
“We went for judges to head INEC because of justice, and that did not produce the right result; we went with professors detached from partisanship.

“But it’s obvious that it’s not about judges and professors but about people of proven integrity and track record. Then we have to get the civil society to ensure that they stay in their lane.”
  
He warned that Nigeria is already behind schedule in laying the foundations for credible elections in 2027, blaming weak political parties, poor governance, lack of consequences for misconduct and the absence of national consensus on democratic values.
  
While dismissing fears of Nigeria becoming a one-party state, Gambari said history showed such ambitions always failed.
  
However, he stressed that democracy could not thrive without reforming political parties.