INEC Chairman Holds Strategic Review with RECs, Swears in Enugu REC
INEC Chairman Holds Strategic Review with RECs, Swears in Enugu REC
INEC Chairman Holds Strategic Review with RECs, Swears in Enugu REC
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, on Tuesday presided over a high-level meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.
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The meeting, held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja , focused on a comprehensive appraisal of the February 21, 2026 elections conducted in the FCT, Kano, and Rivers States. It also set the agenda for the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections and preparations toward the 2027 General Election.
Earlier, the INEC Chairman received a delegation from the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON), led by its National Chairman, Mamman Nda Eri. The delegation congratulated Prof. Amupitan on his appointment and commended INEC’s record in electoral administration, institutional reform, and technological innovation.
Mr. Eri proposed a five-point framework for structured collaboration between INEC and state electoral bodies, including joint capacity building, technology sharing—particularly adaptation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS)—policy dialogue, and coordinated voter education initiatives.
Mr. Eri proposed a five-point framework for structured collaboration between INEC and state electoral bodies, including joint capacity building, technology sharing—particularly adaptation of the (BVAS)—policy dialogue, and coordinated voter education initiatives.
Welcoming the proposal, Prof. Amupitan emphasized the importance of partnership and dialogue in strengthening democratic institutions nationwide.
Hard Review of February 21 Elections
Addressing the RECs, the Chairman delivered what observers described as a frank and detailed assessment of the recent polls. While acknowledging improvements, particularly in result uploads, he identified operational lapses that must be addressed ahead of future elections.
INEC reported that approximately 239,000 voters participated in the FCT Area Council elections, representing about 15 percent turnout—an increase from 9.4 percent recorded in 2022. Despite the improvement, the Chairman described voter apathy as a continuing challenge.
The Commission noted that over 93 percent of polling unit results were uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) Portal by 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, rising to an average of 97 percent thereafter, underscoring its commitment to transparency.
Prof. Amupitan firmly debunked rumours of “voter migration” in 2026, explaining that the redistribution of voters was part of the 2022 Polling Unit expansion initiative, which saw 6.7 million voters nationwide reassigned from 12,000 congested polling units to 17,000 newly created ones. In the FCT alone, 580,000 voters were moved to 1,156 new polling units to ease congestion.
He directed RECs to intensify continuous voter education and encourage citizens to verify their polling units through official online channels.
Warning Over Late Opening of Polling Units
The Chairman expressed strong dissatisfaction over delays in the opening of polling units. According to INEC’s Election Operations Dashboard, only 45 percent of polling units in the FCT opened by the mandated 8:30 a.m., though full compliance was achieved by 10:00 a.m.
Describing the delays as unacceptable, he warned that there would be consequences for actions capable of undermining the electoral process. Staff responsible for delays in Kuje Area Council and Kabusa Ward have reportedly been queried, while a transporter linked to delays in Kwali Area Council is to be blacklisted.
He also highlighted new safeguards in the result management process, requiring Presiding Officers to manually input scores into the BVAS device, which performs automatic validation checks to prevent over-voting and mathematical inconsistencies.
Addressing a viral allegation of result padding at Kuroko Health Centre in Kwali Area Council, the Chairman clarified that investigations revealed the discrepancy stemmed from a counting error that was corrected transparently before final entry into the official collation system.
Preparations for 2027 and Swearing-In Ceremony
Prof. Amupitan reminded RECs that a revised timetable for the 2027 General Election would soon be released following the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026. He also noted that the second phase of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is ongoing and will run until April 17, 2026, with the overall exercise concluding on August 30, 2026.
In a brief ceremony during the meeting, the INEC Chairman swore in Chukwu Chukwuemeka Joseph as Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, representing Abia State. He congratulated the reappointed REC and urged him to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
Placing responsibility squarely on the RECs, the Chairman declared, “You are the Commission in your states. The buck stops with you,” warning that absenteeism and dereliction of duty would attract sanctions.
The meeting ended with a clear message from the INEC Chairman: excellence in electoral administration is not optional but mandatory.
INEC Chairman Holds Strategic Review with RECs, Swears in Enugu REC
