Amupitan urges INEC officers to tackle 2027 election challenges
Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has urged electoral officers in the South-West to approach the challenges of the 2027 general elections with greater commitment, discipline and preparedness.
Amupitan made the call on Monday in Lagos at the opening of the South-West zonal interaction meeting and readiness assessment organised by the commission.
The meeting was the first phase of INEC’s six-zone national tour aimed at assessing its operational preparedness ahead of the 2027 elections.
The INEC chairman said the commission must confront the challenges of the forthcoming elections “frontally”, adding that lessons from recently concluded off-cycle elections would guide preparations for the national polls.
He identified the Anambra governorship election, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council election and the recent Osun governorship election as important milestones for assessing the commission’s weaknesses, improving its processes and strengthening its capacity.
“Those off-cycle elections have provided us with the mirror through which we can see into the 2027 elections,” Amupitan said.
He explained that his decision to personally engage electoral officers and other field-level officials was deliberate because the success of an election is largely determined at the operational level.
“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,” he said.
Amupitan urged the officers to use the engagement to highlight the challenges they face, identify operational gaps and propose practical solutions ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also stressed the need for continuous learning and improvement, saying challenges encountered during one election should inform strategies for subsequent polls.
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
