NEWS
INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan Orders 36 States, FCT to End Administrative Gaps Ahead of 2027 Elections
INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan Orders 36 States, FCT to End Administrative Gaps Ahead of 2027 Elections
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has directed Administrative Secretaries across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to eliminate administrative inconsistencies and strengthen operational coordination ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan issued the directive on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Lagos while declaring open a two-day Strategic Operational Workshop for INEC Administrative Secretaries, describing the meeting as a critical preparation exercise for the Commission as it begins to intensify its readiness for the next general elections.
The INEC chairman described the workshop as an election-focused “operational boot camp” designed to test the preparedness of the Commission’s state-level structures, identify possible weaknesses and ensure that its administrative machinery operates according to uniform national standards.
According to Amupitan, INEC can no longer afford situations where administrative responsibilities are interpreted differently from one state to another, stressing that inconsistencies in procedures and coordination could create operational gaps capable of affecting the credibility and efficiency of the electoral process.
“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 help eliminate guesswork, harmonise administrative procedures and align officials across the country with standardised operational protocols ahead of the 2027 elections.
The chairman said the Commission was studying lessons from recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, with the aim of identifying successful operational practices that could be strengthened and replicated nationwide.
He noted that recent electoral exercises had demonstrated the importance of effective logistics, reliable technology, proper planning and administrative discipline in delivering transparent and credible elections.
However, Amupitan stressed that the scale and complexity of a nationwide general election required a significantly higher level of preparation than elections conducted in individual states.
He therefore charged Administrative Secretaries to ensure that operational models that have proved successful in recent elections are properly documented, improved where necessary and replicated across the federation.
Amupitan described the Administrative Secretary as the Commission’s chief technical, operational and administrative anchor at the state level, highlighting the strategic importance of the position in the overall election management structure.
While Resident Electoral Commissioners remain the political and institutional leads of INEC in the states, he said Administrative Secretaries are responsible for the daily administration of state offices, continuity of operations and several processes that are essential to the successful conduct of elections.
He particularly emphasised the importance of ensuring that polling units are adequately prepared and opened as scheduled, noting that administrative lapses at the state level could have consequences for the wider electoral process.
The two-day workshop is expected to focus on five major areas identified by INEC as central to its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
These include Continuous Voter Registration and Permanent Voter’s Card distribution, logistics and election-material management, mastery of electoral technologies, recruitment and deployment of ad-hoc personnel, as well as general administration and financial compliance.
On voter registration, Amupitan said the Commission would develop strategies aimed at maintaining a clean and credible voters’ register while improving the distribution of Permanent Voter’s Cards as the national register approaches 100 million voters.
He also highlighted election logistics as another area requiring heightened administrative attention, particularly the receipt, auditing, secure storage, deployment and return of sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials.
According to him, Administrative Secretaries must have a firm understanding of the technologies deployed by INEC, given their growing importance in the conduct and monitoring of elections.
Among the systems he listed are the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), eEC&A, Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC), CROMS, IOMIS and PFRAS.
The INEC chairman also stressed the need for a robust process for recruiting, screening and deploying ad-hoc election personnel, including technology-based training to ensure that officials assigned to polling and collation duties are adequately prepared.
He equally reminded the Administrative Secretaries of the need for strict compliance with administrative, procurement and financial regulations, warning that election preparedness must be matched by transparency and institutional discipline.
A major innovation unveiled at the workshop is the proposed Administrative Secretary Master Operational Tracker, a standardised Excel-based monitoring system expected to be linked to INEC’s EMSC dashboard and Election Project Plan.
Amupitan said the tracker would give INEC headquarters, Resident Electoral Commissioners and Supervising National Commissioners real-time visibility into the preparedness of each state.
The system is expected to monitor critical election-readiness indicators, including the distribution of election materials, training and deployment of ad-hoc personnel and the overall preparedness of state offices.
The initiative is designed to shift the Commission away from last-minute crisis management towards early identification of challenges and proactive intervention before election day.
Beyond the 2027 elections, Amupitan said the tracker could become a permanent institutional tool for onboarding and monitoring future Administrative Secretaries, thereby providing continuity in the Commission’s operational structure.
The INEC chairman also issued a strong warning against administrative indiscipline, political interference and complacency among officials, stressing that the credibility of the electoral process depends not only on technology but also on the conduct and professionalism of those managing it.
“If you tolerate shortcuts, shortcuts will multiply. If you tolerate political interference, neutrality will deteriorate,” he said.
He urged the Administrative Secretaries to cultivate a culture of proper documentation, punctuality, preparedness and strict compliance with established procedures.
Amupitan further encouraged the officials to identify and report operational challenges early rather than concealing them, stressing that timely communication would enable the Commission to address problems before they escalate into major election-day difficulties.
With the 2027 general elections expected to involve tens of millions of voters and a nationwide network of polling and collation structures, the workshop signals an intensified effort by INEC to strengthen its
internal administrative machinery well ahead of the polls.
