The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, has directed Administrative Secretaries across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to enforce strict operational discipline and eliminate gaps in preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan gave the directive on Monday in Lagos while opening a two-day Strategic Operational Workshop for the commission’s Administrative Secretaries, whom he described as the “engine room” of INEC’s operations at the state level.
The INEC chairman said the commission must build on the successes recorded during recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, and make such standards consistent across the country ahead of the 2027 polls.
INEC launches real-time election readiness tracker
As part of efforts to strengthen election preparations, Amupitan announced the introduction of an Administrative Secretary Master Operational Tracker Template, a data-driven tool designed to provide real-time updates on the readiness of INEC state offices.
According to him, the tracker will be directly linked to the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, allowing INEC headquarters to monitor the distribution of election materials and staff training across the states in real time.
He said the system would help the commission move away from reactive management towards proactive planning by ensuring that potential operational problems were identified and resolved before they could disrupt election activities.
‘If you tolerate shortcuts, shortcuts will multiply’Amupitan warned the Administrative Secretaries against compromising established procedures or allowing political interference to undermine the commission’s neutrality.
“If you tolerate shortcuts, shortcuts will multiply. If you tolerate political interference, neutrality will deteriorate,” he said.
He charged the officials to develop an administrative culture capable of delivering credible elections, stressing that effective preparation would be crucial to the success of the 2027 polls.
Drawing on the words of former United States Secretary of State and retired General Colin Powell, the INEC chairman said success was dependent on preparation, hard work and the ability to learn from past failures.
INEC identifies five key areas for 2027The two-day workshop is designed as an election-focused “boot camp” to test and strengthen five critical areas of INEC’s operations ahead of the 2027 elections.
The areas include voter registration and Permanent Voter Card distribution, with particular emphasis on improving PVC collection as Nigeria’s voter register approaches 100 million voters.
The commission will also review logistics and election material management, including the receipt, auditing, storage and secure deployment of sensitive electoral materials.
Another major focus is the effective use of election technologies, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, INEC Results Viewing Portal and Candidate Registration and Results Management System.
Staff recruitment, finances also under reviewAmupitan said INEC would also strengthen its human-resource processes, particularly the recruitment, vetting and technology training of ad-hoc election personnel.
Financial compliance will equally receive attention, with the commission focusing on workflow automation and strict adherence to procurement regulations.
The INEC chairman urged the Administrative Secretaries to challenge existing assumptions, identify state-specific operational bottlenecks and ensure that the commission’s daily activities remained aligned with the demands of the 2027 elections.
INEC releases 2027 election timetable
According to INEC’s timetable, the 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin on January 16, 2027, with the presidential and National Assembly elections.
The final register of voters is expected to be published on January 11, while campaigns are scheduled to end on February 18.
A possible presidential run-off is scheduled for February 28, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are slated for March 6, 2027.
With less than six months to the polls, INEC says strengthening its administrative systems, logistics, technology and personnel remains central to delivering credible and efficient elections across Nigeria.
