EXCLUSIVE: ENSIEC Releases Revised Timetable for 2026 Enugu Council Elections

The Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) has issued a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2026 local government elections, following changes in Nigeria’s electoral legal framework.

In the revised timetable obtained by Daily Insider, and signed by ENSIEC Chairman, Prof. Chris Ngwu, the commission said the adjustment became necessary after the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and its replacement with the Electoral Act 2026. 

The revised schedule aligns the electoral process with the new law and other relevant statutes guiding elections in the state.

ENSIEC recalled that it had earlier published a notice of the elections on August 20, 2025, alongside an initial timetable. However, the updated framework now outlines a fresh sequence of activities leading up to the polls.

According to the commission, political party primaries will take place between January 23 and May 26, 2026, allowing parties to democratically nominate candidates in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026. Campaign activities are scheduled to begin on April 29, 2026, and will end on September 25, 2026, 24 hours before election day.

The submission of nomination forms by political parties is expected to close on May 29, 2026, while the publication of candidates’ personal particulars will follow on June 19, 2026. ENSIEC will release the final list of nominated candidates on July 27, 2026.

Other key milestones include the submission of polling agents by August 31, 2026, and the publication of the official notice of poll on September 11, 2026.

The commission confirmed that the local government elections will be held on September 26, 2026, with voting scheduled between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. using the open secret ballot system. In the event of inconclusive results, runoff or re-run elections will take place on October 10, 2026.

ENSIEC emphasized that the revised timetable was issued in exercise of its constitutional mandate and in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable laws.