RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has described Saturday’s by-elections in four states as an opportunity to test the commission’s preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Mr Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said no election should be regarded as insignificant because each exercise provides an opportunity to assess and improve the commission’s electoral processes.
The INEC chairman spoke while monitoring the polls from the commission’s National Situation Room at its headquarters in Abuja.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, the commission conducted four legislative bye-elections across Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states.
The elections were held in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State; Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano; Sakwa and DisinaStatee constituencies in Bauchi; and Udu State Constituency in Delta.
Mr Amupitan said the exercises would provide operational lessons for the commission as it prepares for the 2027 nationwide polls.
“These four by-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 General Election,” he said.
The Commission would use the elections to examine its logistics, technology and administrative arrangements.
“We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary by-election. Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations for the 2027 General Election, allowing us to continuously audit our logistics framework, stress-test our technological deployment, and evaluate administrative field readiness,” he said.
INEC monitors field operations
Mr Amupitan was accompanied by national commissioners and senior management officials as he monitored reports from the various states.
He said the commission remained committed to ensuring that elections were conducted with integrity, adding that operational challenges identified before voting were addressed promptly.
“Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution,” he said.
“Whatever administrative or field challenges arose before the day of the elections, the Commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively.”
The chairman said INEC would continue to review its procedures and improve the conduct of subsequent elections.
“We remain committed to refining our processes so that every subsequent exercise reflects higher standards of efficiency and public confidence,” he said.
Mr Amupitan also commended the officials working in the Situation Room, particularly the technical team, for supporting the commission’s monitoring of the elections across the four states.
He said the monitoring exercise enabled INEC to assess field operations and identify areas requiring further improvement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
