The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Tuesday that preparations for the 2027 general elections are on schedule, as its chairman sought to reassure officials and the public that logistics, technology and personnel are being readied for a vote that will test the credibility of the country’s democratic institutions.
INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan told staff at a readiness-assessment meeting in Enugu that the commission had completed much of its planning checklist and was moving into the procurement phase for sensitive election materials.
“We are on track and moving ahead with most of the checklist,” Amupitan said, adding that non-sensitive materials had already been prepared and distributed.
The commission is expanding its vehicle fleet to move personnel and materials more smoothly, while training programs have begun for staff on new guidelines and regulations introduced under the amended Electoral Act.
Amupitan said INEC had also upgraded its information-technology systems and tightened security arrangements.
The commission, he said, has created committees drawing on government agencies and other bodies to provide specialized support before and during the elections.
The scale of the exercise is considerable. Enugu State alone has 17 local government areas, 260 registration areas and 4,145 polling units, according to the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Chukwuemeka Chukwu.
Chukwu said managing elections across such a network requires adequate staff, logistics, technology, infrastructure, security and sustained engagement with local stakeholders.
He warned that weaknesses at the local level could undermine preparations made at the national level.
“Our preparedness at the local-government, registration-area and polling-unit levels must therefore be properly coordinated with our zonal and national planning,” he said.
Representatives from the five South-East states—Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo—presented updates on their readiness and outlined challenges ahead of the vote.
The session is part of INEC’s broader nationwide assessment of operational gaps and risks before the 2027 elections.
Amupitan’s assurance comes as the country prepares for elections in which public confidence in the electoral process is likely to be closely scrutinized.
The commission has said its zonal reviews are intended to identify vulnerabilities, test contingency systems and address bottlenecks before election day.
