2027: Reps summon INEC boss over election readiness

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives has directed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to appear before its Committee on Electoral Matters within seven legislative days to detail the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections amid growing concerns that widespread insecurity could disenfranchise voters.

Lawmakers are demanding a comprehensive update on INEC’s operational setup, including Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), Permanent Voter Card distribution, election logistics, technology deployment, personnel training, electoral security, and overall funding.

In addition, the commission is expected to present its risk management strategies, budget execution status, and key lessons gathered from the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

The resolution followed a motion co-sponsored by Minority Whip Mansur Manu Soro and Deputy Minority Leader Abdulsamad Dasuki during Wednesday’s plenary session.

While the sponsors originally sought to have the INEC chief address the full chamber at plenary, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu successfully argued that such an arrangement would undermine the statutory oversight role of the Committee on Electoral Matters.

Kalu noted that the INEC chairman had recently briefed the public on 2027 preparations, emphasizing that the specialized committee possessed the expertise and responsibility to handle the interactive session.

Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas subsequently clarified that the parliament agreed with inviting the chairman, but instructed the committee to publicize the date of the hearing so that interested lawmakers outside the committee could attend and ask questions.

Presenting the motion, Soro cited Sections 76, 116, 132, and 178 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, alongside the Electoral Act, which mandate INEC to conduct national elections.

He stressed that the transparency and credibility of the 2027 polls will depend heavily on early logistics planning, technology deployment, and security coordination.

Soro raised concerns regarding reported operational bottlenecks at voter registration centers, including equipment shortages, network failures, and long queues, warning that such delays could disproportionately disenfranchise first-time voters, rural residents, students, and persons with disabilities.

Supporting the motion, Dasuki noted that the election will occur against the backdrop of heightened security challenges, highlighting that lawmakers had raised over 255 security-related motions and emphasizing the need for INEC to explain how it intends to safeguard voter participation in volatile regions.