2027: INEC Moves to Close Operational Gaps Across 36 States, FCT

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections with a directive to its Administrative Secretaries across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to close operational gaps and adopt uniform procedures.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the directive on Monday in Lagos while opening a two-day Strategic Operational Workshop for Administrative Secretaries.

Amupitan described the workshop as a specialised election-focused “operational boot camp” aimed at testing the commission’s readiness and strengthening its state-level structures ahead of the 2027 polls.

He said INEC had reached a crucial stage in its preparations and could no longer afford conflicting interpretations of administrative responsibilities or different operational practices across the country.

“We can no longer afford fragmented interpretations of administrative duties or disjointed operational practices from state to state,” Amupitan said.

He explained that the workshop would eliminate guesswork and ensure that Administrative Secretaries operate within standardised national protocols.

The chairman said INEC would apply lessons from recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, to strengthen its operational framework for the much larger 2027 general election.

According to him, recent polls demonstrated that timely logistics, effective technology and administrative discipline could contribute to transparent and credible elections.

He, however, stressed that a single-state election presented fewer logistical challenges than a nationwide poll, making it necessary for INEC to replicate successful practices across the 36 states and the FCT.

Amupitan described the Administrative Secretary as the commission’s chief technical, operational and administrative anchor at the state level.

He said while Resident Electoral Commissioners remain the institutional leads in their respective states, Administrative Secretaries handle the daily machinery of INEC offices and coordinate key processes that can determine the effectiveness of election operations.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, had earlier urged the participants to use the workshop to examine existing procedures, identify institutional weaknesses and develop practical solutions.

Salami said Administrative Secretaries play a critical role in coordinating personnel, resources, logistics, finance and infrastructure, adding that their effectiveness would directly affect electoral operations.

He also called for stronger coordination between administrative and technical functions, improved accountability and systems capable of responding quickly to emerging challenges.

Amupitan said the workshop would focus on five major operational areas considered critical to the 2027 election.

These include Continuous Voter Registration and PVC distribution, logistics and election material management, electoral technologies, human-resource and ad-hoc staff management, as well as general administration and financial compliance.

He said state-level strategies must support an accurate voter register and efficient PVC collection as the national register approaches the 100-million-voter mark.

The chairman also highlighted the need for greater mastery of key electoral technologies, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), eEC&A, Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC), CROMS, IOMIS and PFRAS.

Another major initiative unveiled at the workshop is the proposed Administrative Secretary Master Operational Tracker.

Amupitan said the Excel-based tracker would link with the EMSC dashboard and Election Project Plan, allowing INEC Headquarters and field officials to monitor election readiness in real time.

The system will track areas such as election-material distribution, ad-hoc staff training and overall state preparedness.

According to the chairman, the tracker will help the commission move away from reactive crisis management and towards proactive planning. It will also provide an onboarding framework for future Administrative Secretaries.

Amupitan urged the officials to establish a culture of discipline, proper documentation, punctuality and preparedness in their offices.

“If you tolerate shortcuts, shortcuts will multiply. If you tolerate political interference, neutrality will deteriorate,” he warned.

He also asked them to report challenges promptly rather than conceal them, stressing that early intervention could prevent operational problems from becoming electoral crises.

The Secretary to the Commission, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, raised concerns about strained relationships between some Administrative Secretaries and Resident Electoral Commissioners.

She warned that disharmony between the two levels of leadership could undermine the commission’s effectiveness.

“We will not allow that to continue because where we do not have harmony, the Commission’s work will suffer,” she said.

Oriaran-Anthony urged the participants to discuss their challenges openly and said the workshop would also examine lessons from the 2023 general election, financial management, logistics, assets, ad-hoc personnel, staff discipline and the commission’s public image.

Former INEC National Commissioner and Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) expert, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, commended the initiative and pledged continued support from development partners.

Representing the EU-SEGN DAI project, Ibeanu said resources and expertise would continue to support capacity building for Administrative Secretaries ahead of the 2027 election.

The workshop underscores INEC’s determination to strengthen its state-level machinery, standardise operations and address potential weaknesses well before the 2027 general election.