* Atiku Abubakar, Bashir Ahmad join Muslim leaders in calling for date review
* ‘It’s insensitive and disrespectful to the Muslim Ummah’: Sheikh Ahmad
The announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fixing February 20 and March 6, 2027, for Nigeria’s next general elections has ignited a wave of concern across Muslim communities nationwide.
The dates, which fall squarely within the holy month of Ramadan, have been widely criticised as insensitive to the spiritual obligations of millions of Nigerian Muslims and potentially exclusionary in a country that prides itself on religious diversity.
Ramadan, a sacred period in the Islamic calendar marked by fasting from dawn to sunset, intense prayers, and acts of devotion, is expected in 2027 to run from early February to early March.
Muslim News gathered that for Muslim faithful, the month is marked by intense spiritual devotion and physical restraint, a reality critics say clashes with the rigours of nationwide elections that demand long hours of queuing, voting, monitoring, and security duties under the sun.
Growing unease across the Muslim Ummah
A cross-section of Muslim leaders and organisations expressed their dissatisfaction in interviews with The Nation, warning that the decision could affect voter turnout, strain electoral officials, and undermine the inclusivity of the democratic process.
The National Missioner of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad, was unequivocal in his condemnation, describing the Prof. Joash Amupitan–led INEC decision as “insensitive and disrespectful to the Muslim Ummah.”
“Election dates are not sacrosanct; they have been adjusted in the past,” Sheikh Ahmad said.
“As Muslims, we do not complain when elections do not affect our religious activities. However, we must make our feelings known when actions appear to disregard our religious obligations. Millions of Nigerian Muslims are stakeholders in the Nigerian project and deserve respect.”
According to him, elections are national exercises that should encourage the broadest possible participation. Fixing the polls during Ramadan, he warned, could discourage or even disenfranchise Muslim voters who may find it difficult to endure the physical demands of fasting alongside prolonged electoral activities.
Calls for inclusivity and consultation
Echoing these concerns, the National Amir (President) of The Companion, Imam Nojeem Jimoh, urged INEC to reconsider the timetable in the interest of inclusivity and national cohesion.
He noted that the commission had, in the past, adjusted election schedules due to security and logistical considerations.
“During the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, similar adjustments were made. There would be nothing unusual in doing so again,” Imam Jimoh said.
He stressed that broader consultations with religious and community leaders before finalising election timetables would strengthen public trust in the electoral process.
“We are major stakeholders in the electioneering process. We assist INEC in mobilising a large percentage of Muslims to perform their civic duties. We should be consulted before decisions that affect millions of Muslims are taken,” he added.
Drawing parallels with Christian observances, Imam Jimoh questioned why elections are never scheduled on Christmas, Easter, or Sundays out of respect for Christians, yet Ramadan appears to have been overlooked.
“Shifting the election dates will not adversely affect INEC. Our complaint is in the national interest,” he insisted.
Political voices join the debate
The controversy has also attracted reactions from prominent political figures. In a statement shared on social media and monitored by Muslim News, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on INEC to urgently review the February 20, 2027 date.
“Elections are not mere administrative rituals; they are national exercises that demand maximum participation, physical endurance, and collective focus,” Atiku said.
“Fixing such a critical civic exercise in the middle of a major religious observance reflects poor judgment and a troubling lack of sensitivity to the nation’s socio-religious realities.”
He warned that in a diverse country like Nigeria, inclusive planning is fundamental, adding that the choice of election dates speaks volumes about competence, foresight, and respect for citizens.
“If INEC struggles with getting a simple matter of timing right, Nigerians are justified in asking what assurance we have that it will competently deliver free, fair, and credible elections in 2027,” he added.
Similarly, Bashir Ahmad, a former spokesperson to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, appealed directly to INEC in a respectful but firm tone.
He noted that Ramadan is a period when many Muslims reduce engagement in demanding worldly activities to focus on spiritual obligations, and warned that the proposed dates could limit participation for a significant segment of the population.
“If the intention is to encourage full and inclusive participation in the electoral process, scheduling such a critical national exercise during Ramadan may present challenges,” he wrote, urging INEC to take the observation in the spirit of inclusiveness and national cohesion.
A test of sensitivity and national unity
As the debate intensifies, many observers see the controversy as a test of INEC’s sensitivity to Nigeria’s complex socio-religious fabric. With Muslims constituting a substantial portion of the electorate, critics argue that accommodating religious realities is not a concession but a democratic necessity.
For now, Muslim leaders maintain that their demand is modest and reasonable: a reconsideration of dates to ensure that no group feels marginalised in a process meant to belong to all Nigerians.
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