With Nigerians already looking ahead to the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it is reviewing every aspect of its preparations to ensure the next polls are more transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful.
The assurance came as an African Union Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission began engagements with INEC in Abuja on Tuesday to assess Nigeria’s readiness for the election and identify areas requiring additional support.
The mission, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, is expected to examine some of the issues that will matter most to voters in 2027 , from the integrity of the voters’ register and use of technology to logistics, security, inclusion and the management of election results.
Receiving the delegation, INEC Acting Chairman, Professor Rhoda Gumus, said the Commission was already undertaking extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations for the election.
She said INEC was also studying lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states to improve its performance ahead of the nationwide polls.
For the Commission, one of the emerging priorities is protecting the electoral process from new threats.
Gumus identified the need for digital training of ad hoc election personnel, stronger measures against election-related disinformation and deepfakes, improved election monitoring systems, and greater inclusion of women and other groups.
These areas are likely to be closely watched by voters as the 2027 election approaches, particularly amid growing concerns about misinformation, technology and the credibility of electoral results.
Gumus said INEC would remain independent and neutral, stressing that every administrative decision under the current Commission led by Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, would be guided by the law.
She also assured Nigerians that technological deployments would be aimed at improving transparency, while the final outcome of the election would reflect the sovereign will of the electorate.
For the African Union, the exercise is about identifying potential problems before election day.
Mekonnen said the mission would engage INEC and other stakeholders to assess voter registration and register integrity, electoral technology, funding, logistics, security coordination, dispute resolution, transparency and results management.
The AU delegation will also identify gaps and possible areas of technical assistance as preparations intensify.
With the 2027 election expected to attract intense public scrutiny, the engagement puts the spotlight on whether preparations made months before polling day can translate into an electoral process Nigerians can trust from registration and voting to the declaration of results.