By Emma Peter
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has called on electoral officials in the Southwest to intensify preparations for the 2027 General Election, urging them to approach the exercise with professionalism, discipline and a strong sense of responsibility.
Amupitan made the call in Lagos at the opening of the Southwest Zonal Interaction Meeting and Readiness Assessment, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja.
The meeting brought together Electoral Officers (EOs), Heads of Department (HODs), senior administrative personnel and other INEC officials from the six states of the Southwest.
The Lagos engagement is the first phase of a six-zone national tour initiated by the INEC Chairman to obtain first-hand information on the Commission’s level of preparedness and the operational challenges confronting officials at the state and grassroots levels ahead of the 2027 elections.
Under the timetable announced by the Commission, the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are expected to hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
Addressing the officials, Amupitan declared that preparations for the 2027 polls could no longer be treated as a distant assignment, stressing that the Commission must confront the task with urgency and determination.
He said recent off-cycle elections had offered INEC important practical lessons which should be incorporated into the planning and execution of the 2027 General Election.
The Chairman specifically referenced the Anambra State Governorship Election, the FCT Area Council Election and the recent Osun State Governorship Election as experiences from which the Commission could assess its strengths, identify shortcomings and improve its electoral processes.
“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 interact directly with field officers was aimed at ensuring that realities at the operational level were adequately reflected in the Commission’s national planning.
According to him, electoral success cannot be guaranteed solely through decisions taken at the Commission’s headquarters, because the actual implementation of those decisions takes place across the field.
“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 stated.
Amupitan consequently encouraged the participating officials to use the zonal meeting to provide honest assessments of their respective working environments, highlight deficiencies and recommend practical measures that could improve election administration.
He maintained that INEC’s preparation for 2027 must remain a continuous process of evaluation, learning and adjustment, with experiences from previous elections serving as a basis for strengthening subsequent operations.
The INEC Chairman also praised officials who took part in the Osun State Governorship Election, noting that the positive public assessment of the Commission’s performance was largely attributable to the dedication of personnel who worked throughout the electoral process to safeguard the credibility of the ballot.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, welcomed the Chairman and participants to the state, stressing that credible elections depend heavily on preparations undertaken well before Election Day.
Salami identified early planning, effective coordination, capable personnel and regular assessment as critical components of successful election management.
He said the readiness exercise should not be reduced to a routine checklist, but should provide an opportunity for the Commission to critically examine its human resources, logistics, infrastructure, technology, electoral materials, security arrangements and engagement with stakeholders.
The Lagos REC also urged Electoral Officers and Heads of Department across the Southwest to openly discuss the challenges they face, identify potential weaknesses before they become major problems and share workable approaches that could benefit the Commission.
The Southwest interaction forms part of INEC’s wider preparations for the 2027 General Election, with similar engagements expected to take place across the remaining geopolitical zones as the Commission moves to strengthen its operational readiness for the polls.
