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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed its Administrative Secretaries in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to eliminate operational gaps and adopt uniform procedures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the directive on Monday in Lagos while opening a two-day Strategic Operational Workshop for Administrative Secretaries.
Amupitan said the commission could no longer afford divergent interpretations of administrative responsibilities or inconsistent operational practices across its state offices as preparations intensify for the nationwide elections.
He described the workshop as an election-focused “operational boot camp” designed to assess the commission’s readiness and develop standard procedures for the 2027 polls.
According to him, lessons from recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, would be incorporated into the commission’s preparations for the larger and more complex general election.
He said timely logistics, effective use of technology and administrative discipline were crucial to delivering transparent and credible elections.
The INEC chairman identified five key areas for the workshop: Continuous Voter Registration and Permanent Voter’s Card distribution; logistics and election-material management; electoral technology; recruitment and training of ad-hoc personnel; and administrative and financial compliance.
He also announced plans to introduce an Administrative Secretary Master Operational Tracker, which he said would provide real-time information on the preparedness of state offices.
The tracker, to be linked to the Election Monitoring and Support Centre dashboard and Election Project Plan, will monitor areas including material distribution, ad-hoc staff training and overall state-level readiness.
Amupitan described Administrative Secretaries as key technical, operational and administrative anchors of INEC’s state offices, noting that their effectiveness would directly affect the smooth conduct of elections.
He urged them to promote punctuality, proper documentation, preparedness and strict compliance with regulations, warning that political interference and administrative shortcuts could undermine electoral neutrality.
“If you tolerate shortcuts, shortcuts will multiply. If you tolerate political interference, neutrality will deteriorate,” the chairman warned.
Earlier, INEC Secretary, Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, raised concerns over strained relationships between some Administrative Secretaries and Resident Electoral Commissioners.
She said the commission would no longer tolerate disharmony among its state-level leadership, stressing that effective collaboration was essential to successful election administration.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, also urged participants to use the workshop to identify institutional weaknesses and develop practical solutions ahead of 2027.
Meanwhile, a former INEC National Commissioner and Development Alternatives Incorporated expert, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, pledged continued support from development partners for the commission’s preparations.
He commended the initiative and said resources and technical expertise would be provided to strengthen the capacity of Administrative Secretaries ahead of the elections.
Amupitan subsequently declared the two-day strategic workshop officially open.
