INEC

By Zayyad I. Muhammad

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria appears to have placed itself in a catch-22, so to speak, by failing to demonstrate sufficient decisiveness, consistency, and finality in handling candidates’ lists ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, including Sections 29(1) on the submission of candidates’ lists; 29(2) on candidates’ qualifications; 29(3) on the publication of candidates’ particulars; 77(2) on party membership registers; 77(4) on the submission of membership registers; 77(5) on eligibility to participate; 77(6) on valid membership registers; 77(7) on failure to submit registers; 84(1)–(2) on the nomination of candidates; and Section 85 on the qualification of aspirants, provide a legal framework for electoral administration.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment upholding the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) reinforces the need for clarity and consistent enforcement. These provisions should provide sufficient legal guidance for INEC to act decisively, subject to applicable court orders.

However, the Commission’s apparent back-and-forth has created unnecessary uncertainty. Today, a candidate’s name appears on the list; tomorrow, it disappears; the next day, people expect it to reappear.

This inconsistency has opened the door to accusations, speculation and finger-pointing, familiar features of Nigerian politics. It has also given politically dependent supporters, whose livelihoods revolve around politicians, opportunities to drag the names and reputations of high-placed individuals into needless controversies.

INEC must demonstrate firmness, consistency and independence in implementing electoral laws. Its decisions should be transparent, legally defensible and guided by established procedures rather than any other considerations.

Ultimately, however, the beauty of representative democracy lies in inclusiveness, fairness and equal opportunity; a system in which every qualified citizen has a fair chance to participate, either as a candidate on the ballot or as a voter at the polling unit.

Furthermore, since Nigeria’s democracy is still in the ‘learning stage’ the Electoral laws must be enforced firmly, but never at the expense of fairness, justice and democratic participation.

 Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Abuja, zaymohd@yahoo.com, 08036070980.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any plan to postpone the 2027 general elections, insisting that the polls will be conducted according to the approved timetable.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Saturday during an interactive meeting with the commission’s staff and Resident Electoral Commissioners from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Amupitan said preparations for the elections were already underway and that the commission had no intention of altering its statutory timetable, dismissing claims by some political parties that the polls might be postponed.

“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he said.

He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting credible elections in accordance with the law.

The chairman also disclosed that Rivers State would receive particular attention during the preparations because of its strategic electoral importance and its position as the state with the highest number of registered voters in the South-South region.

According to figures released by the commission, Rivers has 3,736,434 registered voters, followed by Delta with 3,525,988, Edo with 2,865,263, Akwa Ibom with 2,566,198, Cross River with 1,928,978 and Bayelsa with 1,200,691.

The six states collectively have 15,823,550 registered voters.

Amupitan urged INEC officials to ensure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised because of operational shortcomings.

He also revealed that the commission had published the voters’ register online and at designated locations for public scrutiny.

He said INEC had received more than 5,000 claims seeking corrections to details such as names and dates of birth, alongside over 600 objections, all of which were being addressed.

The chairman announced that the final voters’ register would be released on December 15, adding that the commission was determined to resolve all outstanding issues before the deadline.

He explained that although INEC initially considered conducting a fresh validation of the voters’ register when he assumed office, the proposal was abandoned because of concerns that the exercise would take place too close to the general elections.

On the commission’s preparedness, Amupitan expressed confidence that lessons from recent off-cycle governorship elections, particularly the Osun State election, would help improve the conduct of the 2027 polls.

He described the Osun election as particularly encouraging, noting that it recorded the highest voter turnout in the history of off-cycle elections in Nigeria and was adjudged credible by local and international observers despite earlier security concerns.

He said the experience gained from those elections would strengthen INEC’s preparations for the general elections.

Amupitan further disclosed that the commission was working with security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, to ensure the safety of voters, electoral officials, ad hoc staff and election materials.

He said INEC wanted all parts of the country to remain peaceful so that citizens could exercise their voting rights without fear.

The chairman also dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence or computer algorithms could determine the outcome of the 2027 elections, maintaining that the decision would rest with Nigerian voters.

“It is the people of Nigeria that will decide the outcome of the elections and not AI or any algorithms,” he said.

However, he acknowledged the growing cybersecurity threats associated with artificial intelligence and said the commission would explore technological measures to protect its digital infrastructure from possible attacks.

He warned INEC personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps serving as ad hoc election staff, against any attempt to compromise the electoral process.

According to him, any official found undermining the elections in their area of assignment would face punishment in accordance with the law.

The Daily Reality

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 general elections, subject to the outcomes of pending court cases.

The commission, however, rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, seeking a review of his exclusion from the list of candidates.

A source within INEC disclosed the decisions to Daily Trust on Thursday, following a meeting of the commission to consider complaints from political parties and candidates whose names were omitted from the lists published ahead of the elections.

According to the source, INEC received 69 petitions relating to omitted candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections. About 36 of the petitions were successful, while the remaining applications were unsuccessful.

The source added that the commission was awaiting final figures from its legal department before issuing an official statement on the outcome of the review.

Regarding Pantami, who is the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, the source confirmed that INEC had cleared his candidacy.

Gwarzo was also cleared to contest under the NDC platform in Kano State. However, the commission said his clearance would remain subject to the final decision of the court on the legal dispute surrounding his nomination.

The source explained that the commission had no objection to either candidate contesting the election, provided the pending legal matters did not result in a contrary court ruling.

Candidates challenge exclusion

Pantami and Gwarzo were among prominent governorship candidates whose names were missing from INEC’s list released in October.

INEC had earlier attributed the omissions to alleged failure by their political parties to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the requirement to submit membership registers.

The commission said its position was based on a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which makes the submission of party membership registers mandatory.

Gwarzo subsequently approached the court to challenge the exclusion of himself and his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of governorship candidates in Kano State.

In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he asked the court to declare their exclusion unlawful and compel INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s candidates.

Pantami’s candidacy is also facing litigation, with the INEC source indicating that a court proceeding was expected on Friday.

Adebutu’s petition rejected

Meanwhile, INEC rejected Adebutu’s request for a review of his exclusion from the Ogun State governorship candidates’ list.

The PDP candidate had challenged the commission’s decision, maintaining that he remained a registered member of the party and had fulfilled the relevant membership registration requirements.

However, the INEC source confirmed that his petition was unsuccessful.

The commission is expected to issue a formal statement detailing the decisions reached after reviewing the 69 petitions.

The Daily Reality

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The legal team of Isa Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, has given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) until Wednesday, October 14, to include his name in the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.

The lawyers made the demand in a letter dated October 12 and addressed to INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan. The letter was signed by Ahmed Raji, A.T. Kehinde, Abdul Mohammed, Wale Balogun and Tunde Falola.

They challenged the omission of Pantami’s name and that of his running mate from the final list published by the electoral commission on Saturday, October 10.

The lawyers argued that “the removal of a nominated candidate’s name is exclusively a judicial act”, adding that INEC’s role in primaries is to attend, observe, monitor and report, “not to disqualify, and not to cherry-pick”.

INEC published the names of 16 governorship candidates for Gombe State but did not include Pantami, who emerged as the PDP candidate following a fresh primary election. The commission also omitted Ladi Adebutu, the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, without stating its reasons.

Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, was declared the winner of the PDP’s fresh governorship primary conducted across the 11 local government areas of Gombe State on September 29.

Lawyers Cite Court Order, Electoral Act

In their letter, the lawyers maintained that Pantami was a duly registered PDP member whose name appeared in the party’s membership register submitted to INEC.

They said the party submitted his personal particulars through Form EC9 on August 8, 2026, after he won the initial primary held on May 26. INEC subsequently published his name on August 29.

“The PDP submitted his personal particulars (Form EC9) to the Commission on the 8th day of August, 2026 pursuant to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the Commission published his name on the 29th day of August, 2026 pursuant to Section 29(3) of the Act,” the letter reads.

“Up to this point, no step was taken by the Commission to question any aspect of his emergence.”

According to the legal team, the initial primary was challenged in two cases, marked FHC/GM/CS/10/2026 and FHC/GM/CS/9/2026, before the Federal High Court in Gombe.

The court, in a judgment delivered on September 24, nullified the primary and ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh governorship primary.

The lawyers said the party complied with the order and notified INEC before conducting the new exercise on September 29.

“In compliance with the Court Order, the PDP gave the Commission due notice of the court-ordered primary, and conducted the fresh gubernatorial primary election on Tuesday, the 29th day of September, 2026,” the lawyers said.

“At the conclusion of that exercise, Isa Ali Ibrahim emerged the winner, and his name was again submitted to the Commission as the nominated candidate of the PDP.”

Citing legal precedents, the lawyers argued that INEC could not remove a nominated candidate from the list without a judicial order.

They therefore demanded that the commission publish Pantami’s name by Wednesday, October 14, alongside the other candidates already listed for the election.

“In the circumstances, we have our Client’s firm and unequivocal instructions to demand, and we hereby demand that the Commission, on or before Wednesday the 14th day of October, 2026, publish and circulate the name of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the office of Governor of Gombe State in the 2027 general elections, in the same manner and with the same prominence as the names of all other candidates published on the 10th day of October, 2026,” the lawyers stated.

The legal team expressed confidence that INEC would take what it described as “immediate corrective action” and provide written confirmation of the steps taken to resolve the matter.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it is engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resolve the exclusion of some of its candidates from the final lists for the 2027 elections.

Jungudo Mohammed, spokesperson for the PDP faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.

The development followed INEC’s publication of its final governorship candidate lists on Saturday, which reportedly excluded some PDP candidates, including Isa Pantami of Gombe State and Ladi Adebutu of Ogun State.

Mohammed said the party was concerned about the omissions and had opened discussions with the electoral commission to address the issues in line with the law and established electoral guidelines.

“The PDP therefore assures all concerned that it is treating this development with the utmost seriousness it deserves and will communicate further developments as appropriate. The Party is committed to ensuring that all legitimate concerns are properly addressed with the Commission,” the statement reads.

He urged affected candidates, party members and supporters to remain calm and avoid statements or actions that could jeopardise the ongoing discussions with INEC.

The dispute comes amid the legal implications of a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24 concerning provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and the nomination of candidates for the 2027 elections.

INEC had earlier said it would determine how the judgment would affect the nomination process.

A seven-member panel of the Supreme Court upheld an appeal filed by INEC, restoring Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the court held that the provisions, which the Court of Appeal had voided in July, were not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution.

Section 77(5) requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention. Only members whose names appear on the submitted register may participate in the exercise.

Section 77(6) prohibits parties from using a membership register other than the one submitted to INEC for their primaries, congresses and conventions.

Section 77(7) further provides that a political party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period cannot field a candidate in the election.

The PDP said it would communicate further developments as its engagement with INEC continues.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun distributing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The exercise covers eligible voters who registered during the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, as well as those who applied for polling unit transfers or replacements for lost or damaged PVCs.

Registered voters have been advised to contact their respective INEC offices to confirm whether their cards are ready for collection and to obtain information about the collection process.

Those who applied for polling unit transfers should also confirm their updated registration details to ensure they know their designated polling units ahead of the elections.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to some states ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a national stakeholders’ meeting held to mark 100 days to the 2027 general election.

Amupitan also revealed that contracts for offshore production and fleets had been awarded, while production of 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices was at an advanced stage.

He said the commission had also begun receiving new operational vehicles, while construction and renovation projects were progressing across its offices nationwide.

The INEC chairman further disclosed that work was ongoing on dedicated BVAS storage facilities and local government area offices as part of preparations for the election.

“Some states have started receiving some non-sensitive materials ahead of the election, procurement for the printing of ballot papers and results sheets is nearly completed, and advancement towards the final contract awards.

“The contract for solar power installation across all the commission offices has been awarded to ICT infrastructure upgrades to critical ICT applications and core infrastructures have been implemented.

“The procurement department continues to monitor suppliers, contractors, and interdepartmental delivery schedules closely, so that all the procurement aligns with our statutory timelines,” he said.

The commission is also carrying out ICT infrastructure upgrades and implementing measures to strengthen critical applications and core infrastructure ahead of the elections.

According to Amupitan, the procurement process is being closely monitored to ensure that suppliers and contractors meet the commission’s schedules and statutory deadlines.

The latest developments form part of INEC’s wider preparations for the 2027 general elections, which are now 100 days away.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence tools as part of its result verification process for the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Tuesday during the commission’s world press conference and national stakeholders’ forum on preparations for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said the commission had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence division within its Information and Communication Technology department to oversee the integration of AI into its electoral processes.

“Artificial intelligence governance, the commission has established a dedicated artificial intelligence division with the ICT department.

“Automated AI auditing tools are being integrated into our results verification process under a five-pillar AI governance framework operating under the masonry human governance oversight and AI framework policy is being finalised by the commission,” he said.

The planned AI deployment is expected to support the commission’s efforts to verify election results as part of its broader preparations for the 2027 polls.

The INEC chairman said the commission was developing a governance framework to guide the application of artificial intelligence within the electoral system.

According to him, human oversight would remain part of the framework as the commission works towards integrating automated auditing tools into its result verification procedures.

The announcement comes as INEC continues preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the commission undertaking several technological and administrative measures aimed at strengthening the electoral process.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that Nigeria’s national register of voters has exceeded 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in collaboration with the electoral commission in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the latest figure followed the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise and the final biometric verification of newly registered voters.

He said the CVR exercise generated 10,772,421 new registrations, which were subjected to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System.

“Following the conclusion of our three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which captured over 10.6 million new applicants, and the completion of the public display of the preliminary register for claims and objections, our Voter Register Department has completed the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup.

Nigeria’s National Register of Voters is now over 103 million,” he declared.

The latest figure represents a rise from the more than 93 million voters previously recorded by the commission.

In August, INEC had projected that the register would cross the 100 million mark after the completion of the CVR exercise.

The commission had also said in September that the register was “approaching the 100 million mark” following the addition of 10,772,421 new registrations subject to biometric verification.

PVC Collection Begins October 9

Amupitan announced that nationwide collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards will begin on Friday, October 9, 2026.

He said the commission had completed the processing and distribution of the first batch of PVCs to local government centres ahead of the exercise.

The INEC chairman called on the media to provide citizens with accurate information about collection centres and encourage eligible voters to collect their cards.

INEC Acquires 57,000 New BVAS Devices

The commission is also strengthening its technological infrastructure ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amupitan disclosed that INEC had acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices.

He said the devices had undergone software hardening, battery optimisation and biometric calibration to strengthen accreditation and prevent manipulation.

“We have instituted hardware, software, and cybersecurity enhancements across our technological architecture. We have acquired 57,000 new BVAS for optimal performance.

“The devices have undergone extensive software hardening, battery optimisation, and biometric calibration to prevent accreditation bypass and eliminate manual manipulation,” the INEC chairman stated.

The upgrades are part of preparations for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, as well as the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections fixed for February 6.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned Nigerians against a fraudulent website falsely claiming that nationwide online voter registration is currently ongoing.

INEC identified the website as pvc-inecnigeria-org.blogspot.com, which reportedly advertises a supposed registration window from September 28 to October 27, 2026.

In an advisory issued on Saturday, the commission urged Nigerians not to visit the platform, click its links or submit personal information through it.

“Members of the public are strongly advised not to click on the link or submit any personal information on the website, as doing so may expose them to the risk of having their sensitive personal data harvested or misused,” the advisory read.

INEC clarified that the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise had ended, and that claims of a new online registration exercise through the fraudulent website were false. The commission’s official voter registration portal also currently states that the CVR exercise has ended.

“The commission further wishes to clarify that the voter registration exercise closed on July 26, 2026. Any information suggesting that a new nationwide online voter registration exercise is currently ongoing through the above-mentioned website is false,” it stated.

The fake platform reportedly advertises what it describes as the “Final Phase of Nationwide Online Voter Card Registration” and offers services including updating voter details, transferring polling units and replacing lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards.

It also falsely claims that voter registration and PVC delivery are free.

INEC urged Nigerians to verify electoral information through its official communication channels and avoid submitting personal details to unauthorised websites.

The commission’s official website provides access to voter services and other election-related information.