The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it has finalised preparations for the 2027 general elections, including the election timetable and schedule of activities, despite delays in the amendment of the Electoral Act at the national assembly.
Professor Joash Amupitan, the INEC chairman disclosed this in Abuja during separate engagements with media executives and civil society organisations, noting that while the Commission has submitted its proposals to lawmakers, certain aspects of the timetable may still be affected by the final version of the amended law once passed.
He explained that for now, INEC is compelled to operate under the existing Electoral Act, 2022, while awaiting legislative updates from the national assembly.
According to him, “The timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election has been finalised in full compliance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and the Electoral Act, 2022.”
He, however, urged lawmakers to speed up action on the ongoing amendment process to avoid possible disruptions to the electoral calendar.
Amupitan also raised concerns over the integrity of Nigeria’s voter register, which currently contains about 93.4 million names, warning that issues such as duplicate registrations, under-age registration, non-citizen entries, and records of deceased persons continue to undermine public confidence in the system.
To address these challenges, he said INEC will embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise aimed at cleaning up and strengthening the credibility of the register ahead of the 2027 polls.
He stated that “dead men don’t vote,” stressing the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that only eligible voters remain on the register.
The INEC chairman further revealed that preparations for the 2026 FCT Area Council elections were already at an advanced stage, with key activities completed, including the deployment and configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
He added that the Commission will conduct a mock accreditation exercise on February 7, 2026, across selected polling units in the six area councils, while bye-elections in Rivers and Kano States will also hold on the same date.
Amupitan also confirmed that governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states are scheduled for June and August 2026, respectively.
On political party registration, he said INEC had received 171 applications from associations seeking registration, adding that only those that meet constitutional requirements would be approved and announced soon.
He called on the media and civil society organisations to support efforts to address voter apathy and combat electoral malpractices such as vote buying, misinformation, and hate speech, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
