The Nigerian House of Representatives has invited the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to appear before its Committee on Electoral Matters. The invitation is to brief lawmakers on the commission's preparedness for the 2027 general elections. The House asked Amupitan to appear within seven legislative days to provide updates on various aspects of election preparations.
The resolution was passed after an amendment to a motion on the need for a comprehensive assessment of INEC's readiness for the elections. The motion was sponsored by Hon. Mansur Manu Soro and Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki. The amendment, moved by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu, suggested that the INEC chairman appear before the Committee on Electoral Matters instead of the entire House.
Kalu argued that the committees of the House are capable and should be allowed to perform their duties. He also noted that the INEC chairman had recently spoken on the commission's level of readiness for the 2027 general election in a world press conference. Speaker Abbas Tajudeen supported Kalu's position, saying members of the House who are not part of the electoral committee but wish to seek clarifications from the INEC chairman are free to join the committee's interface.
However, Dasuki, a co-sponsor of the motion, expressed concerns about security challenges in some parts of the country and the need to know how ready the commission is to conduct elections in such areas. Under the resolution, INEC is expected to provide a detailed report on voter registration, Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) production and distribution, election technology and logistics, and personnel training.
The House noted that the credibility, transparency, and acceptability of the 2027 general elections depend largely on INEC's preparedness in various areas, including voter registration, voter education, logistics, technology deployment, personnel training, security coordination, and timely implementation of the election timetable. The lawmakers also expressed concern over operational challenges reported at Continuous Voter Registration centres across the country.
The lawmakers warned that failure to address gaps in voter registration, logistics, technology, and funding promptly could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and jeopardize the peaceful conduct of the 2027 elections. INEC is expected to brief lawmakers on its readiness, including the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
The commission will also share its electoral risk assessment strategies and lessons from the Ekiti governorship election. The motion was referred to the Committee on Electoral Matters for further legislative action. The committee's interface with the INEC chairman is expected to provide clarity on the commission's preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Key points
- The Nigerian House of Representatives has invited INEC chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan to brief lawmakers on the commission's preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
- The invitation is to provide updates on voter registration, PVCs production and distribution, election technology and logistics, personnel training, and electoral security.
- The credibility and transparency of the 2027 general elections depend largely on INEC's preparedness in various areas.
