The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced a zonal readiness assessment of its operations in the South-West as part of efforts to identify and address administrative, human, logistical and infrastructural gaps ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The exercise, led by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, is the beginning of a series of zonal engagements through which the commission’s leadership intends to assess its preparedness for the forthcoming elections.
Speaking during an engagement with Electoral Officers and other commission officials in the South-West, Amupitan said INEC had shifted its attention fully to preparations for the 2027 polls, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, followed by the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The chairman explained that the decision to adopt a zonal approach, rather than the commission’s traditional state-by-state engagements, was necessitated by the limited time available before the elections.
“It is very critical for me to go and see for myself and be sure that we are physically, psychologically, materially and infrastructurally ready for the 2027 General Election.”
INEC to assess local-level readiness
Amupitan said the exercise would enable the commission to engage directly with Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers and other officials responsible for implementing its policies and decisions at the state and local government levels.
He described Electoral Officers and other officials at the grassroots as the commission’s “foot soldiers,” stressing that they were responsible for translating decisions taken at the national level into effective action at the local level.
According to him, Electoral Officers operate within a chain of responsibility under the supervision of Resident Electoral Commissioners, who are directly responsible to the commission.
The INEC chairman said although the administrative aspect of election management had not always received adequate attention, every link in the electoral chain remained crucial to the success of the electoral process.
“Their role has always not been emphasised before now. But we know that if the chain is broken, then the election will run into crisis.”
Chairman targets operational gaps
Amupitan said the readiness assessment would examine different components of the electoral process and identify areas requiring urgent attention before the elections.
He said the commission was also engaging its officials and partners to clarify responsibilities and improve coordination, particularly in the areas of administration, personnel management and implementation of commission decisions.
The chairman assured the officials that INEC would systematically address identified challenges in order to minimise operational gaps and strengthen the efficiency of the electoral process.
“We want to address every chain, every aspect of the election, and ensure that we have a seamless general election in 2027.”
The engagement forms part of INEC’s broader preparations for the 2027 General Election, with the commission seeking to ensure that its structures and personnel at all levels are adequately prepared ahead of the polls.
