Confront 2027 Election Challenges ‘Frontally’ – Amupitan Tells INEC Staff
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has charged electoral officers and heads of departments across the Southwest to intensify their preparations for the 2027 General Election, urging them to confront emerging challenges with commitment, discipline and professionalism.
Amupitan gave the charge in Lagos while addressing Electoral Officers, Heads of Department, senior administrative staff and other INEC officials from the six states of the Southwest at the opening of the commission’s Southwest Zonal Interaction Meeting and Readiness Assessment.
The meeting, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, marked the commencement of a six-zone national tour by the INEC chairman to assess the commission’s operational preparedness ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
Declaring that “the 2027 General Election is here,” Amupitan said INEC must confront the task “frontally”, stressing that lessons from recent off-cycle elections should be translated into concrete improvements ahead of the national polls.
He identified the Anambra State Governorship Election, Federal Capital Territory Area Council Election and the recent Osun State Governorship Election, among others, as important learning opportunities for the commission.
“Those off-cycle elections have provided us with the mirror through which we can see into the 2027 elections,” he said.
The INEC chairman explained that his decision to personally engage field-level officials was deliberate, noting that the credibility and success of an election ultimately depended on what happened at the operational level.
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“The true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is indeed decided in the field,” Amupitan said.
He urged the Electoral Officers and Heads of Department to use the zonal interaction to provide candid assessments of the challenges confronting them, identify operational gaps and recommend practical solutions ahead of the 2027 polls.
Amupitan stressed the need for continuous learning and institutional improvement, saying challenges encountered during one electoral exercise should serve as a basis for strengthening preparations for subsequent elections.
He also commended INEC officials who participated in the recent Osun State Governorship Election, noting that the commendations received by the commission were largely attributable to personnel who worked throughout the electoral process to safeguard the integrity of the ballot.
Earlier, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, said electoral credibility was built long before Election Day through early preparation, effective coordination, competent personnel and continuous assessment.
Salami said the readiness assessment should go beyond routine checklists to critically examine the adequacy of human resources, logistics, infrastructure, technology, electoral materials, security arrangements and stakeholder engagement.
He urged Electoral Officers and Heads of Department across the Southwest to speak frankly about their operational realities, identify weaknesses early and share practices capable of strengthening the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
The Lagos engagement is the first leg of INEC’s planned interaction and readiness assessment with officials across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones as the commission intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.
By PRNigeria
