INEC begins training for supervisors
The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced a training of trainers for state coordinating supervisors of the Electoral Operations Support Centre ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The training is aimed at improving the speed and accuracy of electoral incident reporting and strengthening the capacity of supervisors to coordinate EOSC activities.
According to INEC, the programme, organised by its Electoral Operations Department, is designed to equip state coordinating supervisors with the skills needed to coordinate EOSC activities and train personnel who will support electoral operations during the elections.
Speaking at the training, the Deputy Director, Operations, Jibril Mohammed, who represented the Director of Electoral Operations, Isa Magaji, said the programme was intended to build teams capable of providing timely and reliable operational support across the country.
Mohammed described the EOSC as an important platform for helping the commission monitor developments in the field and ensure that emerging challenges were promptly escalated to the appropriate authorities.
“Every report represents a situation affecting people,” he said, stressing that every call or dashboard entry could involve electoral personnel, materials, processes or voters requiring guidance and practical intervention.
He urged the supervisors to provide clear direction and exercise sound judgment while coordinating their teams.
Mohammed also tasked the participants with ensuring that the knowledge acquired during the training was effectively transferred to personnel at the state level.
“The success of this training will ultimately be measured by how confidently and effectively the personnel trained by you perform their responsibilities during the elections,” he said.
He urged participants to actively engage in the sessions, ask questions and share their experiences, noting that resolving uncertainties during the training would help prevent operational challenges during the elections.
According to him, participants are expected to leave the programme with a stronger understanding of EOSC responsibilities, reporting procedures, information verification, incident escalation and follow-up processes.
Mohammed emphasised the importance of accuracy and timeliness in operational reporting, saying an effective report should clearly establish what happened, where and when it happened, the action already taken and the current status of the incident.
He also urged supervisors to preserve the human side of their responsibilities by treating field officers with calmness, respect and helpfulness, particularly when dealing with personnel operating under pressure.
“The quality of communication and the manner in which information is received could affect both the quality of information available to the Commission and the support provided to personnel in the field,” he said.
Mohammed called on the facilitators to make the training practical and interactive, with emphasis on real-life situations participants could encounter during the 2027 General Election.
He commended the facilitators, organisers, sponsors and partners for supporting the programme, while urging the participants to justify the confidence and resources invested in the training.
The initiative forms part of INEC’s preparations to strengthen its operational response and improve the management of emerging challenges during the 2027 elections.
