Civil society organisations in Nigeria have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to demonstrate its readiness for the 2027 general elections through verifiable evidence. The groups, led by ActionAid Nigeria, Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, and Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, made the demand in a joint statement issued in Abuja. They stressed that credible elections required effective logistics, transparent recruitment and training of electoral personnel, reliable technology, clear procedures for results management, and adequate security arrangements.
The organisations warned that weaknesses in any of these areas could disrupt voting, undermine public confidence, and create opportunities for electoral manipulation. They recalled the operational challenges that characterised the 2023 general elections, including late arrival of election materials, malfunctions of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and controversies surrounding results transmission. The groups acknowledged INEC's recent announcements on logistics, procurement of additional election materials, security arrangements, and personnel recruitment but insisted that such measures must translate into tangible results across the country.
The groups expressed concern about the difficulties of delivering election materials to riverine communities in the Niger Delta, areas affected by insecurity in the North-West, and hard-to-reach locations in the North-East. They urged INEC to publish a comprehensive logistics plan detailing distribution timelines, transportation arrangements, contingency measures for difficult terrains, and procedures for addressing shortages before voting begins. The groups also called for adequate backup arrangements for technological devices and other election equipment to prevent prolonged delays when equipment malfunctions.
On personnel recruitment, the organisations expressed concern about the selection, political neutrality, training, and security of the large number of ad hoc staff expected to participate in the elections. They said civil society organisations had formally requested access to monitor INEC's ongoing recruitment exercise and publicly report their findings but were still awaiting the commission's response. The groups argued that transparent recruitment and independent monitoring would help address concerns about political interference and improve public confidence in the electoral process.
The organisations raised concerns about the safety of electoral personnel following disclosures by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, that the Department of State Services had foiled an alleged plot targeting NYSC ad hoc staff ahead of the 2027 elections. They referenced allegations by former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, that politicians had allegedly recruited non-corps members using NYSC uniforms to infiltrate electoral operations. The groups stressed that such allegations required appropriate scrutiny and that measures must be put in place to prevent unauthorised individuals from participating in election administration.
The groups urged INEC to ensure that political neutrality was a fundamental requirement for electoral appointments and that personnel were adequately trained to handle accreditation devices, election materials, result sheets, and security-related incidents. On technology and results management, they urged the commission to conduct realistic tests of its electoral systems under conditions involving poor internet connectivity, equipment failure, and high voter turnout. The organisations demanded clear and publicly accessible procedures for recording, uploading, reconciling, and collating election results in accordance with Sections 60 and 64 of the Electoral Act.
The groups called on INEC to publish a recruitment dashboard showing applications, screening, and certification figures across states and, where possible, local government areas. They also made other demands, including biometric verification of NYSC members, publication of training completion rates, and the establishment of a reserve pool of at least 20 per cent additional personnel to replace absentees and those unable to perform their duties. The organisations stressed that sustained public pressure was necessary to ensure that INEC fulfilled its constitutional responsibility and that electoral transparency should not depend on repeated demands from citizens and civil society groups.
Key points
- Civil society groups demand INEC provide verifiable evidence of readiness for 2027 general elections
- Groups express concern about logistics, personnel recruitment, and technology for 2027 elections
- Organisations call for transparency and accountability in INEC's preparations for 2027 elections
