National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said that INEC is ready to conduct free, fair and credible polls in 2027.
Amupitan gave this assurance while delivering an address at the ‘Readiness Assessment for 2027 General Elections’ with the Commission’s Staff in Enugu, on Tuesday.
He said that the commission, under his watch, had followed a strict timeline and checklist within its ongoing preparations.
“We are on track and moving ahead with most of the checklist. We have got our non sensitive materials ready and distributed while we are advancing on awarding contracts for sensitive materials.”
“The commission is getting more vehicular logistics for seamless movement of personnel and materials.
“Massive training and retraining have commenced especially on the new guidelines and regulations introduced into the Amended Electoral Act ” he said.
He said that the commission’s ICT had been upgraded and its security tightened.
The chairman noted that the commission had set up committees comprising governmental agencies, commissions and other bodies to provide specialised services and back up to ensure successful elections.
Earlier, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Enugu State, Dr Chukwuemeka Chukwu, said Enugu State consisted of 17 Local Government Areas, 260 Registration Areas and 4,145 Polling Units.
“Managing electoral activities across such a broad operational structure requires adequate personnel, logistics, technology, infrastructure, security arrangements and continuous engagement with stakeholders at the grassroots.”
“The experience of the commission has shown that every component of the electoral process is interconnected.
“Our preparedness at the Local Governments, Registration Areas and Polling Unit levels must therefore be properly coordinated with our zonal and national planning.
“We must continue to strengthen our systems, improve our processes and ensure that every officer understands his or her responsibility towards the successful delivery of the 2027 General Elections,” Chukwu said.
Representatives of the five states in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States, made presentations on their various state’s readiness and challenges ahead of the general elections.
NAN