The Independent National Electoral body (INEC) has said that sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections have started arriving even as the body tightens preparations across the country.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan disclosed this during an interactive meeting with staff and readiness assessment visit to Enugu State which is the Southeast leg of the commission’s nationwide physical assessment tour after similar exercises in the Southwest, North-Central and Northwest zones.
Amupitan said the commission had already commenced preparations which included acquisition of election materials and vehicles, building modifications, personnel training and efforts to strengthen election logistics.
The 2027 election was more than just another date in the electoral calendar, he said, saying it was a key test of the commission’s preparedness.
The INEC chairman said that training programs would soon begin to prepare workers for their duties, especially in the light of the reforms imposed by the new Electoral Act and the commission’s norms and regulations for the 2027 elections.
“INEC is developing training materials that will be available to staff outside the face-to-face trainings and selected staff will be trained as trainers to train other election workers,” Amupitan added.
He warned staff to be strictly impartial before, during and after the elections, charging that INEC personnel must not be seen to endorse any political party.
“We want to be neutral,” Amupitan said, adding professionalism, accountability and efficient result handling were vital to restoring public faith in the electoral process.
He also cautioned that the panel would not condone wrongdoing that could undermine the integrity of the elections.
The preparations are in line with INEC’s aspiration to conduct simultaneous voting across all polling units nationally in 2027, with Amupitan saying logistics and technology need to be better to allow Nigerians to vote without undue delays.
The commission has procured 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices. The equipment are hardened for software, optimised for battery and calibrated for biometrics before the polls.
Amupitan said INEC has also developed printable Permanent Voter Cards in compliance with Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, describing the technology as one meant to avoid unnecessary delays in getting voter cards.
“The commission is now 101 days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections which have been fixed for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are fixed for February 6.
Under the new schedule, the presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2027, just as the gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The commission had initially scheduled the elections for February 20 and March 6, 2027, but reconsidered the calendar following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which brought changes to statutory timelines.
But despite the success, the commission is under fire from opposition figures. Former Vise President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reveal the companies it has hired to manufacture critical materials for the 2027 polls, claiming that secrecy over the printing of ballots could damage public faith.
Atiku also raised concerns over the recent changes in personnel in the commission, particularly in the departments responsible for election administration and technology, and urged INEC to explain the circumstances and show that the decisions were made on merit and free from political interference.
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