2027: INEC chairman orders administrative secretaries in 36 states, FCT to close operational gaps, adopt unified playbook

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved to tighten its operational machinery ahead of the 2027 General Election, with its Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, directing Administrative Secretaries across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory to eliminate administrative ambiguity, strengthen coordination and ensure that no operational gap is allowed to undermine election delivery.

Prof. Amupitan gave the directive on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Lagos, as he opened a two-day Strategic Operational Workshop for INEC Administrative Secretaries, describing the exercise as a specialised, election-focused “operational boot camp” designed to test the Commission’s preparedness ahead of the 2027 polls.

The Chairman said the Commission was now within the critical six-month preparation window for the 2027 General Election and could no longer afford different interpretations of administrative responsibilities or divergent operational practices across the country.

“We can no longer afford fragmented interpretations of administrative duties or disjointed operational practices from state to state,” he said, stressing that the Lagos workshop was designed to eliminate guesswork and align Administrative Secretaries with standardised national protocols.

The warning came against the backdrop of the Commission’s determination to convert the lessons of recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State Governorship Election, into a national operational standard capable of supporting the significantly larger and more complex 2027 General Election.

Prof. Amupitan said the recent elections had demonstrated that timely logistics, functional technology and administrative discipline could translate into transparent and credible electoral outcomes.

But he cautioned that the controlled environment of a single-state election was different from a nationwide general election, making it imperative for INEC to replicate successful operational models across all 36 States and the FCT.

At the centre of the new push is the Administrative Secretary, whom the Chairman described as the Commission’s chief technical, operational and administrative anchor at state level.

While Resident Electoral Commissioners remain the political and institutional leads in the states, he said Administrative Secretaries are responsible for managing the daily machinery of state offices, maintaining administrative continuity and overseeing the operational processes that ultimately determine whether polling units open on time.

Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, set the tone for the workshop by urging Administrative Secretaries to approach the engagement as an opportunity to interrogate existing processes, identify institutional gaps and develop practical solutions ahead of 2027.

Welcoming the Chairman, National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, South-West RECs, Directors, Administrative Secretaries, development partners and other participants to Lagos, Salami said the Commission’s approval of the two-day workshop underscored the importance it attached to strengthening the capacity and operational readiness of Administrative Secretaries.

He said their ability to coordinate people, resources, logistics, finance, infrastructure and administrative processes was directly linked to the success of electoral operations, urging participants to bring their field experiences and challenges to the table and collectively develop solutions that could improve operations in their respective states.

Salami also stressed the need for stronger coordination between administrative and technical functions, improved accountability and resilient systems capable of responding to emerging operational demands