Reps summon INEC chairman over 2027 election preparedness

The House of Representatives has given the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, seven legislative days to brief lawmakers on the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections, including funding gaps, security challenges and voter registration.

The lawmakers want the commission to provide details of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), Permanent Voter Card (PVC) production and distribution, election logistics, technology deployment and training of electoral personnel.

The resolution followed an amendment to a motion seeking a comprehensive assessment of INEC’s readiness for the elections, sponsored by Mansur Manu Soro and Abdussamad Dasuki.

The original motion proposed that Amupitan appear before the entire House, but Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu moved that the INEC chairman should instead appear before the Committee on Electoral Matters.

Kalu argued that the House committees should be allowed to discharge their responsibilities, adding that Amupitan had recently addressed the commission’s preparedness at a world press conference.

Speaker Abbas Tajudeen supported the amendment, saying lawmakers who were not members of the committee could attend the session and seek clarification from the INEC chairman.

However, Dasuki said the motion was necessary to establish how prepared the commission was to conduct elections in areas facing security challenges.

Under the resolution, INEC is expected to provide a detailed report on voter registration, PVC production and distribution, electoral technology, logistics, and the recruitment and training of election officials.

The commission must also disclose its budgetary appropriations, funds released, outstanding payments and the implications of any funding shortfalls for its preparations.

The lawmakers further requested details of INEC’s mapping of difficult-to-access areas and its strategies for addressing electoral security risks.

They said the credibility, transparency and acceptability of the 2027 elections would depend largely on adequate preparation, effective security coordination, voter education and the timely implementation of the electoral timetable.

The House also identified the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election as an opportunity for INEC to draw lessons on election administration, technology deployment, logistics, stakeholder engagement, security and voter participation.

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The lawmakers expressed concern over reported operational challenges at Continuous Voter Registration centres across the country, including inadequate registration equipment, insufficient personnel, network disruptions and prolonged waiting times.

According to the House, the challenges could disproportionately affect first-time voters, rural residents, persons with disabilities, students and workers seeking to register or update their voter information.

It warned that failure to address the gaps in voter registration, logistics, technology and funding could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and threaten the peaceful conduct of the 2027 elections.

INEC is also expected to brief the committee on its preparedness to deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), alongside its electoral risk assessment strategies.

The motion was referred to the Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action.