RismadarVoice Reporters
October 28, 2026
The House of Representatives has directed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, to appear before its Committee on Electoral Matters within seven legislative days to explain the commission’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.
The directive followed the adoption of a motion during Wednesday’s plenary, amid concerns over voter registration challenges, election logistics, funding and insecurity in parts of the country.
The motion was jointly sponsored by the Minority Whip, Mansur Soro, and Deputy Minority Leader, Abdussamad Dasuki.
Lawmakers want INEC to provide detailed information on Continuous Voter Registration, Permanent Voter Card production and distribution, deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
The committee will also examine electoral personnel recruitment and training, security coordination, voter education and the commission’s financial preparedness.
Particular attention will be given to communities affected by insecurity, where eligible voters could face difficulties accessing polling units.
Presenting the motion, Soro expressed concern over inadequate registration equipment, network disruptions, insufficient personnel and prolonged waiting times at some voter registration centres.
He warned that failure to address these challenges could limit electoral participation, particularly among first-time voters, rural residents, students, workers and persons with disabilities.
Dasuki also raised concerns about the security situation, saying the House had considered approximately 255 motions relating to insecurity.
He argued that INEC needed to explain how voting would be conducted in constituencies where violence and security threats could disrupt electoral operations.
The sponsors initially proposed that Amupitan address the entire House during plenary.
However, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu opposed the arrangement, insisting that the Committee on Electoral Matters should exercise its oversight responsibility.
Kalu maintained that the committee was better positioned to examine the commission’s preparations and report its findings to the House.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas subsequently directed the committee to invite the INEC chairman and publicise the meeting date to allow interested lawmakers to participate.
The committee is also expected to examine lessons from recent governorship elections and assess whether outstanding funding requirements could affect preparations for the 2027 polls.
The engagement is intended to identify operational challenges requiring legislative attention before the elections.
INEC has already published its election timetable, but lawmakers maintain that effective implementation will require adequate funding, security arrangements and accessible voter registration services nationwide.
