INEC Moves to Close Operational Gaps Ahead of 2027 General Election

By Nafiu Muhammad Lema

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed its Administrative Secretaries across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to close operational gaps, strengthen coordination and adopt unified procedures ahead of the 2027 General Election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, gave the directive on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Lagos while declaring open a two-day Strategic Operational Workshop for Administrative Secretaries.

Amupitan described the workshop as an election-focused operational boot camp designed to assess the Commission’s preparedness and ensure that its administrative structures are fully aligned ahead of the 2027 polls.

He said INEC could no longer afford different interpretations of administrative responsibilities or divergent operational practices across states, stressing the need for standardised national protocols.

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

According to him, lessons from recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State Governorship Election, must be translated into operational standards that can be applied nationwide.

He noted that while recent elections demonstrated that effective logistics, functional technology and administrative discipline could contribute to credible electoral outcomes, the scale and complexity of a nationwide election required stronger preparation.

The INEC Chairman described Administrative Secretaries as key technical, operational and administrative anchors of the Commission at state level, responsible for ensuring administrative continuity and effective coordination of daily electoral operations.

The workshop will focus on five major areas, including Continuous Voter Registration and Permanent Voter’s Card distribution; logistics and election-material management; mastery of electoral technologies; recruitment and training of ad-hoc personnel; and general administration and financial compliance.

Amupitan also announced plans to introduce an Administrative Secretary Master Operational Tracker, a standardised Excel-based system to be linked with the Commission’s Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) dashboard and Election Project Plan.

The tracker is expected to provide real-time information on state-level preparedness, including election-material distribution, ad-hoc staff training and other critical operational activities.

The Chairman said the initiative would help the Commission move from reactive crisis management to proactive planning and would also serve as an onboarding framework for future Administrative Secretaries.

He further warned the officials against compromising professionalism, neutrality and administrative discipline.

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

Amupitan urged the Administrative Secretaries to document their activities, maintain punctuality and ensure that emerging challenges are promptly reported to the appropriate authorities rather than concealed.

Earlier, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, urged participants to use the workshop to identify institutional weaknesses and develop practical solutions ahead of 2027.

He stressed the importance of effective coordination in the management of personnel, logistics, finance, infrastructure and other resources required for successful electoral operations.

The Secretary to the Commission, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, also called for improved working relationships between Administrative Secretaries and Resident Electoral Commissioners.

She expressed concern over complaints of strained relationships between the two levels of leadership, warning that continued disharmony 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 said the workshop would also examine lessons from the 2023 General Election, financial management, logistics, assets, ad-hoc personnel, staff discipline, supervision and the management of INEC’s image and reputation.

Meanwhile, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, a former INEC National Commissioner and Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) expert, commended the Commission for organising the workshop.

Representing the EU-SEGN DAI project, Ibeanu pledged continued support from development partners towards strengthening the capacity of Administrative Secretaries ahead of the 2027 election.

The workshop brings together INEC National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, Resident Electoral Commissioners, Directors, Administrative Secretaries, development partners and other stakeholders.

Amupitan subsequently declared the Strategic Operational Workshop on the 2027 General Election for INEC Administrative Secretaries officially open.