INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan has taken the commission’s 2027 election readiness assessment to the North-East, where nearly 14 million registered voters, security concerns and preparations for recruiting election personnel are placing operational capacity under scrutiny.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the regional assessment in Gombe on Monday, October 26, bringing together national commissioners, resident electoral commissioners from the six North-East states and senior officials to examine preparations and identify gaps ahead of the general election.
Amupitan said the exercise was designed to test readiness where election plans must be implemented, rather than relying solely on reports from the commission’s headquarters.
“The true integrity of an election is not determined in the air-conditioned conference rooms of Abuja; it is forged in the field,” he said, highlighting the importance of trained personnel, functional equipment and effective coordination.
The North-East has 13,965,475 registered voters, representing 13.51 per cent of Nigeria’s more than 103 million registered voters. INEC is completing its data-cleaning process following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
The figures place significant demands on the commission’s logistics, voter records, staffing and security arrangements. However, the assessment did not disclose a consolidated readiness score or identify specific shortcomings across the six states.
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Gombe begins recruitment and equipment checks
Gombe Resident Electoral Commissioner Mukhtar Gajiram Umar said the state has 1,768,566 registered voters, 114 registration areas and 2,988 polling units. Its electoral structure also includes three senatorial districts, six federal constituencies and 24 state constituencies.
He clarified that the voter figure preceded completion of the Automated Biometric Identification System process, meaning the final validated total could differ.
According to Umar, recruitment of ad hoc election personnel had commenced through the INECPRES portal, while training for different categories of officials was underway.
The commission’s information and communications technology department had also begun preliminary technical checks on equipment and infrastructure needed for the polls.
These steps are essential because faulty equipment, inadequate staffing or delays in deploying personnel can disrupt voting and undermine public confidence. Their effectiveness, however, will depend on whether identified problems are resolved before election day.
Security and neutrality under scrutiny
Amupitan identified the safety of voters, electoral workers and observers as central to credible elections, particularly in a region facing security challenges. He said INEC would coordinate with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
He also directed staff to study the Electoral Act 2026, the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026, and relevant operational manuals.
The chairman warned against political pressure, financial inducement, intimidation and ethnic bias, stressing neutrality, professionalism and proper documentation.
Director of Planning and Monitoring Helen Ajayi said the regional exercise would assess preparedness, expose operational challenges and reinforce compliance with the commission’s Code of Conduct.
The North-East visit followed assessments in Lagos on September 7, Kaduna on September 28 and Enugu on October 20.
With the election approaching, the critical measure will be whether these inspections translate into reliable equipment, adequately trained personnel, secure polling locations and transparent procedures. INEC’s challenge is not only to demonstrate activity, but also to show that its preparations can withstand pressure on election day.
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