The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun a train-the-trainer program for state coordinating supervisors of the Electoral Operations Support Centre, aimed at enhancing how quickly and accurately electoral incidents are reported in the run-up to the 2027 General Election.
In a post shared from its X handle on Wednesday, INEC noted that the training, arranged by its Electoral Operations Department, is intended to give state coordinating supervisors the skills needed to oversee EOSC activities and to train staff who will assist with electoral operations during the elections.
Addressing the training, the Deputy Director, Operations, Jibril Mohammed, who stood in for the Director of Electoral Operations, Isa Magaji, stated that the program was meant to develop teams able to deliver prompt and dependable operational support nationwide.
He characterized the EOSC as a vital platform that helps the Commission track developments on the ground and make sure that emerging challenges are quickly escalated to the relevant authorities.
“Every report represents a situation affecting people,” Mohammed said, emphasizing that every call or dashboard entry could involve electoral personnel, materials, processes, or voters requiring guidance and practical intervention.
He called on the supervisors to give clear guidance and to use good judgment while coordinating their teams.
Mohammed also asked the participants to make sure that the knowledge acquired from the training was effectively passed on to staff at the state level.
“The success of this training will ultimately be measured by how confidently and effectively the personnel trained by you perform their responsibilities during the elections,” he said.
He encouraged participants to take an active part in the sessions, pose questions, and share their experiences, pointing out that clearing up uncertainties during the training would help avert operational difficulties during the elections.
In his view, participants should complete the program with a better grasp of EOSC responsibilities, reporting procedures, information verification, incident escalation, and follow-up processes.
Mohammed stressed how important accuracy and timeliness are in operational reporting, explaining that a good report should clearly set out what happened, where and when it occurred, the action already taken, and the incident’s current status.
He further called on supervisors to maintain the human dimension of their duties by treating field officers with calmness, respect, and helpfulness, especially when handling personnel working under pressure.
“The quality of communication and the manner in which information is received could affect both the quality of information available to the Commission and the support provided to personnel in the field,” he said.
Mohammed urged the facilitators to ensure the training was practical and interactive, focusing on real-life scenarios participants might face during the 2027 General Election.
He praised the facilitators, organizers, sponsors, and partners for backing the program and encouraged participants to prove worthy of the confidence and resources invested in the training.
This initiative is part of INEC’s efforts to bolster its operational readiness and enhance how it handles emerging challenges during the 2027 elections.
