The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that it remains fully prepared for the 2027 General Election, even as the National Assembly continues to work on amendments to the Electoral Act.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), made the statement on Wednesday during the Commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja, noting that the election timetable and schedule of activities have been completed in accordance with current legal provisions.
Amupitan explained that while the Commission has submitted proposed changes to the National Assembly, the final timing and content of the Electoral Act amendment could affect some aspects of the election schedule. For now, however, INEC must operate within the framework of the existing law.
He also urged CSOs to help drive voter participation by mobilising residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026.
According to him, PVC distribution in the FCT will end on February 10, 2026, and INEC does not want eligible voters to be left out of the process.
Beyond PVC collection, the INEC chairman encouraged CSOs to monitor political party campaigns and promote peaceful conduct during the election cycle. He emphasised the importance of combating hate speech, vote-buying, misinformation, and violence to ensure that election activities remain lawful and peaceful.
Amupitan also provided updates on preparations for the FCT Area Council elections, noting that 1,680,315 registered voters will cast ballots across 2,822 polling units in Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali, with 570 candidates contesting various positions.
According to the chairman, INEC has delivered non-sensitive materials to Area Council offices, completed recruitment and training of ad hoc staff, and is configuring BVAS devices to enable accreditation and upload results to the IReV portal. Sensitive election materials, he added, will be delivered one day before the polls.
A mock accreditation exercise is scheduled for February 7, 2026, across 289 selected polling units, and 83 domestic and five foreign observer groups have been accredited to monitor the FCT elections.
Amupitan also confirmed that bye-elections will take place on the same date in constituencies in Rivers and Kano States.
Looking ahead to the 2027 polls, the INEC chairman called on the National Assembly to expedite work on the Electoral Act amendment and announced plans for a nationwide voter revalidation exercise to strengthen the integrity of the voters’ register before the general election.