INEC CHAIRMAN TASKS SOUTHWEST OFFICIALS ON GREATER PREPAREDNESS FOR 2027 ELECTIONS
Read Time:2 Minute, 49 Second
By: Fasasi Hammad
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has urged Electoral Officers and Heads of Department across the Southwest to approach the 2027 General Election with greater commitment, discipline and preparedness.
Amupitan gave the charge in Lagos during the opening of the Southwest Zonal Interaction Meeting and Readiness Assessment held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja.
The meeting marked the beginning of INEC’s six-zone national tour aimed at assessing the Commission’s operational readiness ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Presidential and National Assembly Elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections will hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The Lagos meeting brought together Electoral Officers, Heads of Department, senior administrative staff and other INEC officials from the six states of the Southwest.
According to the INEC chairman, the engagement was designed to give the Commission’s leadership first-hand insight into the operational challenges and realities confronting officials at the state and grassroots levels.
Declaring that “the 2027 General Election is here,” Amupitan said the Commission must confront the election with determination, stressing that lessons from recently conducted off-cycle elections must be applied to preparations for the national polls.
He identified the Anambra State Governorship Election, the FCT Area Council Election and the recent Osun State Governorship Election, among others, as important learning points for the Commission.
“Those off-cycle elections have provided us with the mirror through which we can see into the 2027 elections,” he said.
The chairman explained that his decision to personally engage field-level officials was deliberate, noting that the success of any election ultimately depends on effective operations on the ground.
“The true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is indeed decided in the field,” he said.
Amupitan therefore encouraged Electoral Officers and Heads of Department to use the meeting to openly discuss the challenges they face, identify operational gaps and propose practical solutions ahead of the 2027 polls.
He emphasised the need for continuous learning and improvement, saying challenges encountered during one election should serve as a guide for strengthening preparations for subsequent elections.
The INEC chairman also commended officials who participated in the recent Osun State Governorship Election, noting that the positive public assessment received by the Commission was largely a result of the efforts of personnel who worked throughout the election period to protect the integrity of the ballot and ensure that votes counted.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, welcomed the chairman and other participants to Lagos.
Salami said the credibility of an election was established long before Election Day through early preparation, effective coordination, competent personnel and continuous assessment.
He said the readiness assessment should go beyond routine checklists to examine the adequacy of human resources, logistics, infrastructure, technology, electoral materials, security arrangements and stakeholder engagement.
The Lagos REC urged Electoral Officers and Heads of Department across the Southwest to speak frankly about their operational realities, identify weaknesses early and share best practices capable of strengthening the Commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
The Southwest interaction represents the first phase of INEC’s planned engagement with officials across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as the Commission intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0