2027: INEC begins BVAS configuration, deploys Air Force for materials distribution

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the configuration of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and deployed Nigerian Air Force jets to transport non-sensitive election materials ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission said the early configuration of the machines was necessary to allow sufficient time for the process, while the distribution of election materials to states was already underway.

The Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Haruna Mohammed, said “the BVAS are already being configured. It takes a while to configure them, so we have to start early,” Mohammed said.

He added that the Nigerian Air Force was assisting the commission in distributing non-sensitive materials across the country.

“The distribution of the non-sensitive materials for the 2027 election is already on. As we speak, Air Force jets are currently deploying materials to states,” he said.

The development comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the elections scheduled for January 16 and February 6, 2027.

According to the commission’s timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6.

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Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to end on January 14, while those for the governorship and state Assembly polls will close on February 4.

The latest preparations follow an earlier disclosure by INEC that it had begun moving non-sensitive election materials to some parts of the country after assessing its readiness across the six geopolitical zones.

An INEC National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with a delegation from Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, led by the country’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina.

Gumus said the commission had completed nine scheduled activities and was intensifying preparations following its assessment of readiness across the six geopolitical zones.

She explained that the exercise was designed to identify logistical challenges, assess preparations at the zonal level and determine areas requiring urgent intervention.

“We have six zones in Nigeria. The purpose is to go around the zones to see how prepared we are, assess what the zones have put in place, the challenges and what to do,” she said.

Gumus expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded, noting that the movement of non-sensitive materials to some zones had already commenced.

“Right now, all non-sensitive materials are almost ready. In fact, today, as we speak here, the non-sensitive materials have been lifted to some zones now. I spoke to the commissioner in charge of that,” she added.