The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that delays in amending the Electoral Act could affect aspects of the timetable for the 2027 general elections, even as it assured Nigerians of its readiness to conduct the polls.
Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), the INEC Chairman, expressed worry on Wednesday during the commission’s first quarterly consultative meeting with civil society organizations in Abuja.
Amupitan stated that the commission had already completed its election calendar and schedule of activities based on the existing legal framework, but that any changes resulting from the new Electoral Act may necessitate amendments.
“While we have made our submissions to the National Assembly, the passage of the amendment may have implications for certain items in our timetable,” he said. “However, for now, the commission has no choice but to operate within the framework of the subsisting Electoral Act.”
He asked the National Assembly to move quickly on the ongoing amendment process to provide certainty ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We seek your support in urging the National Assembly to speed up work on the amendment of the Electoral Act,” the director-general of INEC said.
Despite the uncertainty, Amupitan stated that INEC was well prepared for the elections and announced plans for a nationwide voter revalidation effort before 2027.
“A credible register of voters remains the bedrock of free, fair, and transparent elections. Accordingly, the commission will embark on a nationwide voter revalidation exercise ahead of the 2027 general election,” he said.
In terms of ongoing electoral operations, Amupitan urged CSOs to step up mobilization efforts in the Federal Capital Territory to ensure that citizens receive their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the Area Council elections on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
“The ongoing PVC distribution in the FCT will end on February 10, 2026, and we do not want anyone to be disenfranchised,” he said.
He also asked civil society organizations to monitor political parties’ conduct and promote peaceful participation, warning against hate speech, vote buying, misinformation, disinformation, and election-related violence.
Amupitan provided an update on FCT poll preparations, stating that 1,680,315 registered voters would vote in 2,822 polling stations across six area councils: Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.
He noted that 570 candidates would run for chairman, vice-chairman, and councillor posts, while INEC had finished recruiting and training ad hoc staff and was preparing BVAS devices for accreditation and result transfer to the IReV portal.
The INEC chairman also announced that bye-elections will be held on the same day in Rivers State’s Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies, as well as the Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies in Kano.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives refuted charges that the National Assembly was purposefully delaying the discussion and passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, stating that the proposed legislation is expected to be harmonized next week.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr. Adebayo Balogun, stated that the delay was procedural rather than political and that work on the bill was still on in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Balogun stated that legislative work on the bill was progressing and expressed optimism that the harmonization stage would soon be completed.
“The Senate is in session, considering the bill. Hopefully, the harmonization will be completed by next week,” Balogun said.
