morganable politics/elections
The chairman stressed that every member of staff had a responsibility to contribute to the successful conduct of the 2027 elections, noting that operational failures could affect the credibility of the exercise.
kano —
The Independent National Electoral Commission has directed its personnel to suspend further annual leave as it intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the directive on Friday during an interactive meeting with staff members in the North-Central zone in Lokoja, Kogi State.
The commission disclosed this in a statement published on its official X handle on Friday, saying the directive was aimed at ensuring the availability of personnel to meet the increasing administrative and operational demands of the forthcoming elections.
Amupitan said the approaching general elections required greater commitment, discipline and efficiency from all members of staff, warning that the commission could not afford lapses that might undermine the electoral process.
Addressing senior officials and field personnel from the six North-Central states and the Federal Capital Territory, the chairman emphasised the need for staff to demonstrate professionalism and remain committed to their responsibilities as preparations gathered momentum.
He cautioned personnel against negligence, absenteeism, financial impropriety and partisanship, directing Resident Electoral Commissioners and Administrative Secretaries to strengthen mechanisms for monitoring attendance and ensuring accountability across the commission’s offices.
The chairman stressed that every member of staff had a responsibility to contribute to the successful conduct of the 2027 elections, noting that operational failures could affect the credibility of the exercise.
The commission also announced a series of workforce welfare and operational reforms, including a new salary structure, improved field allowances, increased funding for state offices and the provision of additional vehicles to strengthen its nationwide operations.
According to the statement, the new remuneration arrangement, known as the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure, took effect on January 1, 2026, following the commission’s decision to move away from the conventional civil service salary structure.
Amupitan said processes were ongoing to secure the necessary cash backing for the implementation of the salary structure.
He also disclosed that the commission had approved enhanced salary, hazard and field allowance packages for its personnel to improve staff welfare and provide additional support for employees carrying out electoral assignments.
The chairman further announced a 150 per cent increase in monthly overhead allocations to state offices, effective July 1, 2026, saying the development was intended to improve their capacity to meet operational requirements.
The welfare measures, he said, formed part of broader institutional reforms designed to strengthen the commission’s workforce and ensure that personnel were adequately equipped to handle the responsibilities associated with the elections.
On logistics, Amupitan disclosed that operational pick-up vehicles had been distributed to state and local government offices across the country to improve mobility and facilitate the movement of election materials and personnel.
He added that the commission had procured 20 Sport Utility Vehicles for Resident Electoral Commissioners, while Administrative Secretaries would also receive new vehicles to enhance their operational effectiveness.
The commission is also strengthening its technological infrastructure ahead of the elections, particularly in the areas of voter accreditation, result management and electronic transmission.
Amupitan said INEC was configuring 57,000 newly procured Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices to support voter verification and accreditation during the polls.
The BVAS technology is expected to play a critical role in verifying the identities of voters and ensuring that only duly registered individuals are accredited to vote at polling units.
He also disclosed that the commission was auditing its electronic result management systems, including the eEC8A verification platform, to ensure the transparent management and transmission of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
The chairman said the technological improvements were necessary to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and address potential operational challenges that could undermine public confidence in election results.
On voter registration, Amupitan said the preliminary voters’ register had been published for public scrutiny, allowing eligible citizens and other stakeholders to examine the records and identify possible errors or omissions.
He added that the certified voters’ register was scheduled for release on December 15.
The publication of the register is one of the important preparatory activities ahead of the general elections, as it provides an opportunity to address discrepancies and ensure that eligible voters are properly captured.
On election security, the INEC chairman announced that the commission was strengthening its collaboration with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
He said the security coordination structure extended from the national level to state and local government areas, as well as registration area centres, to ensure effective planning and response to security challenges before, during and after the elections.
Amupitan also expressed concern over the growing threat posed by misinformation, fabricated media reports and artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, warning that the spread of false information could weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
He urged personnel to remain vigilant and ensure that accurate information was communicated to the public, particularly as political activities intensified ahead of the elections.
The commission said it had completed nine of the 14 major milestones outlined in its statutory timetable for the 2027 general elections.
According to the timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
The chairman maintained that the commission was committed to adhering to the announced election dates, stressing the importance of timely preparation and effective coordination among its departments and field offices.
The North-Central zonal meeting brought together officials from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, alongside those from the Federal Capital Territory.
The meeting, which focused on assessing the commission’s preparedness and addressing operational concerns, marked the conclusion of INEC’s nationwide zonal readiness assessment.
Amupitan disclosed that the North-Central zone had 15,448,869 registered voters, highlighting the significant logistical and administrative responsibilities facing the commission in the region.
The figure underscores the need for adequate personnel, equipment and security arrangements to ensure that voters across the zone are able to exercise their franchise without unnecessary difficulties.
The latest directive follows a similar engagement with INEC personnel in the South-South zone in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where Amupitan reiterated that the commission would not change the dates scheduled for the 2027 general elections.
During the meeting, he also urged electoral officials to ensure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised because of administrative shortcomings or operational failures.
With the suspension of further annual leave, improved staff remuneration, additional logistics and ongoing technological upgrades, INEC appears to be stepping up efforts to ensure that its personnel and infrastructure are ready for the 2027 elections.
