Electoral commission engages stakeholders, outlines schedule for FCT polls, Ekiti, Osun governorship elections and major register clean-up.
Abuja, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced high-level consultations with critical stakeholders as part of early preparations for the 2027 General Elections, with a major nationwide voter revalidation exercise top on the agenda.
INEC Chairman, Professor Amupitan, announced this on Wednesday during a consultative meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja, describing the forum as vital for strengthening electoral integrity and democratic collaboration.
Reflecting on recent achievements, the Chairman highlighted the successful conduct of the November 2025 Anambra governorship election—which took place barely two weeks after his assumption of office—as proof of the Commission’s capacity. The election featured over 2.8 million voters across 5,718 polling units, with sign language interpreters deployed to promote inclusivity.
Outlining the immediate electoral calendar, Professor Amupitan confirmed that the Federal Capital Territory Area Council Elections are scheduled for Saturday, 21 February 2026. Preparations are reportedly at an advanced stage, with non-sensitive materials already delivered, ad-hoc staff trained, BVAS configuration ongoing, and a mock accreditation exercise set for 7 February 2026. A total of 88 observer groups (83 domestic, 5 foreign) have been accredited.
He also announced that bye-elections will hold simultaneously on the same date in:
· Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies (Rivers State)
· Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies (Kano State)
Looking further ahead, the Ekiti State governorship election is fixed for 20 June 2026, while Osun State will go to the polls on 8 August 2026.
A significant focus of the meeting was the forthcoming 2027 General Election. The Chairman assured that INEC will release the election timetable in full compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. He, however, expressed concern over delays in amending the Electoral Act and urged CSOs to advocate for swift legislative action.
Central to INEC’s 2027 preparation is a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise, designed to sanitise the voters’ register by removing duplicates, under-age registrants, non-citizens and deceased persons. “A credible voters’ register remains the foundation of public trust in elections,” he emphasised.
The Commission also reported progress in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), with over 2.7 million new registrants in the first phase. The second phase continues until April 2026. Additionally, 171 associations have submitted letters of intent to register as political parties, with successful applicants to be announced in due course.
INEC appealed to CSOs to support PVC collection before the 10 February 2026 deadline for FCT residents, and to aid in voter education, peaceful campaigns and combating hate speech, vote-buying and electoral violence.
In her response, CSO representative Grace Alache Jerry pledged continued partnership with INEC but echoed concerns over National Assembly delays in amending the Electoral Act. She warned that further hesitation could jeopardise 2027 election preparedness and called for urgent advocacy to ensure a seamless electoral cycle.
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