From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has expressed deep concerns over the myriad of legal, institutional, political and operational challenges confronting electoral umpires across the African continent.
Amupitan raises the alarm in his remarks while hosting the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) delegation at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
The commission’s boss said that though credible elections are fundamental to representative democracy, yet electoral commissions across our region face common challenges.
He further enumerated those challenges undermining the conduct of credible poll as electoral technology, results management to voter education, electoral security and dispute resolution.
Amupitan said that ahead of the poll, the commission’s preparation is focus on ensuring an accurate and reliable voters’ register, timely procurement and testing of electoral materials and technology, and effective training of competent, impartial electoral personnel.
According to him; “Credible elections are fundamental to representative democracy, yet electoral commissions across our region face common legal, institutional, political and operational challenges, ranging from electoral technology and results management to voter education, electoral security and dispute resolution.
“ECONEC therefore plays a vital role by providing a platform for electoral commissions to exchange experiences, address shared challenges and develop practical solutions to strengthen electoral democracy.
“No electoral commission has a monopoly on knowledge or experience. We all have valuable lessons to share and much to learn from one another. For INEC, engaging with ECONEC reflects our commitment to continuous learning, institutional innovation, and regional cooperation to advance credible elections and democratic governance across West Africa,” he said.
While giving updates on the build-up to the poll, Amupitan said: “Our preparations focus on ensuring an accurate and reliable voters’ register, timely procurement and testing of electoral materials and technology, and effective training of competent, impartial electoral personnel.”
“We are also strengthening engagement with political parties, civil society, the media, security agencies and other stakeholders to address concerns promptly and promote transparent communication.
Equally important is intensified voter and civic education to improve public understanding of electoral procedures, peaceful participation and lawful channels for resolving grievances.
“The success of the 2027 elections will depend significantly on our ability to learn from previous experiences. The 2023 general election offered important lessons concerning technology, logistics, results management, public communication and stakeholder expectations.
“We must therefore approach 2027 not as a repetition of 2023, but as an opportunity to consolidate past achievements, address identified shortcomings and strengthen public confidence.
“This requires sustained institutional commitment, careful planning and continuous improvement throughout the electoral cycle,” he said.
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