REPS TO QUESTION INEC CHAIRMAN OVER READINESS
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, is expected to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters next week to explain the commission’s level of preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
The Chairman of the committee, Bayo Balogun, disclosed this on Friday, saying the planned engagement would provide lawmakers with an opportunity to assess INEC’s preparations and raise concerns about possible challenges ahead of the polls.
According to him, the committee will also seek the commission’s assessment of the recently conducted governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
Among the major issues expected to feature during the meeting are the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, production and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), election logistics and the deployment of technology.
Lawmakers are particularly interested in the readiness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which play important roles in voter accreditation and election result management.
The committee is also expected to question INEC on the recruitment and training of electoral personnel, security arrangements, risk assessment and the adequacy of funding for the 2027 elections.
The planned meeting follows a resolution adopted by the House after a motion sponsored by Minority Whip Mansur Soro and Deputy Minority Leader Abdulsamad Dasuki.
The lawmakers had raised concerns about the challenges associated with conducting nationwide elections, particularly insecurity, inadequate registration facilities, logistics and possible difficulties in deploying election technology.
They also called for a detailed report on voter registration progress, PVC management, election materials, recruitment of ad hoc staff and the commission’s financial requirements.
The House initially considered inviting the INEC chairman to address the entire chamber. However, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu argued that the Committee on Electoral Matters should handle the oversight responsibility.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas subsequently directed the committee to invite Amupitan and make the date of the meeting public to allow other interested lawmakers to participate.
Amupitan is expected to provide explanations on the commission’s preparedness as political parties and stakeholders intensify activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
