The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stepped up preparations for the 2027 general elections, directing its officials to identify and address weaknesses in their operations while maintaining strict impartiality in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Commission also disclosed that the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will commence on October 9, giving eligible voters an opportunity to obtain their cards ahead of the next general elections.
The directives were issued by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, on Monday in Kaduna during the North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 General Election.
The meeting is part of a broader assessment being conducted by the electoral body across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Through the exercise, INEC is engaging its personnel, assessing the level of preparedness in different locations and identifying challenges that could affect the administration of the 2027 elections.
The Commission’s decision to take the readiness assessment to the zones is aimed at obtaining a clearer picture of the realities confronting its personnel outside the national headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the Kaduna engagement, Amupitan stressed that the success of an election could not be measured only by decisions taken at the Commission’s headquarters.
He noted that the actual implementation of electoral plans largely takes place at the grassroots, where officials interact directly with voters and other stakeholders.
“The true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is decided in the field,” the chairman said.
He consequently encouraged officials in the North-West and other parts of the country to use the engagement to openly identify difficulties affecting their work and propose practical solutions.
According to him, challenges that are discovered at the operational level should not be allowed to persist until election day. Instead, officials are expected to communicate such problems to the headquarters early enough for the Commission to determine appropriate interventions.
The chairman’s position reflects INEC’s effort to strengthen its internal preparations before the 2027 polls, particularly by ensuring that problems affecting election administration are identified before they become more difficult to resolve.
The Commission is also drawing from its experiences during previous electoral exercises as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan said lessons from recent elections would be useful in improving the Commission’s systems and procedures ahead of the larger national assignment.
He urged staff to approach their responsibilities with professionalism and a clear understanding of the importance of their roles in the electoral process.
The INEC chairman also placed particular emphasis on neutrality, warning officials against partisan conduct.
He stressed that personnel of the electoral body must remain impartial and avoid actions that could create doubts about their commitment to conducting a credible election.
For INEC, the conduct of its officials remains an important part of the broader electoral process.
Field personnel are expected to carry out their duties professionally and in accordance with the Commission’s guidelines, regardless of the political interests involved in an election.
Amupitan also cautioned against administrative negligence, making it clear that avoidable lapses should be identified and corrected before they have an opportunity to affect election preparations.
The chairman said the Commission’s objective was to ensure that operational weaknesses did not undermine the conduct of the 2027 elections.
The zonal assessment therefore provides an opportunity for INEC to examine its level of preparedness from the perspective of officials working directly in the field.
It also allows the Commission to understand the practical challenges that may not always be immediately visible from its headquarters.
The North-West engagement in Kaduna is one of six zonal interactions planned by the Commission as part of its wider preparations.
The meetings are expected to provide INEC with feedback from its personnel and assist the electoral body in developing solutions to identified operational difficulties.
The emphasis on grassroots operations is particularly significant because much of the actual implementation of election plans takes place at state, local government and other field levels.
The effectiveness of the systems put in place at those levels can therefore have a direct bearing on how smoothly election-related activities are carried out.
With PVC collection scheduled to begin on October 9, voter-related preparations are also moving into another phase. The development comes as INEC continues its broader planning for the 2027 electoral cycle.
The Commission’s latest activities indicate an effort to tackle potential challenges before the elections rather than wait until the final stages of the electoral process.
By engaging its staff directly across the six zones, INEC is seeking feedback from those responsible for implementing its programmes on the ground while also reinforcing the standards expected of its personnel.
Amupitan urged officials to make effective use of the opportunity provided by the zonal meetings and contribute to finding solutions to the challenges confronting electoral administration in their respective areas.
The chairman maintained that ensuring professionalism, neutrality and operational efficiency would be essential as the Commission moves closer to the 2027 general elections.
INEC’s immediate focus, therefore, is to strengthen its internal processes, close identified gaps and ensure that field personnel are adequately prepared for their responsibilities.
As preparations continue, the Commission is expected to build on lessons from previous elections while working to prevent avoidable administrative and operational problems from affecting the 2027 electoral process.