INEC Chairman Tasks RECs On Enlightenment Ahead Of 2027 Elections

The Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan has urged all the Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs in the Thirty Six States and the FCT to carry out adequate enlightenment on the Commission’s activities to deepen voter engagement and confidence.

Professor Amupitan who made the call during a meeting with the RECs in Abuja explained that Voter Apathy manifested during the just concluded FCT Area Council Election.

He said that the meeting would give them the opportunity to reflect on the Commission’s processes, identify areas requiring improvement and take decisive action as the commission prepare for the forthcoming Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States, and ultimately the 2027 General Election.

On the Complaints about Voter migration’ in the FCT, professor Amupitan said that the Commission’s Expansion of Voters’ Access to Polling Units was implemented in 2022 and that nationwide, over 56,000 additional polling units were created, increasing the total from 119,972 to over 176,000. In order to populate the newly created units, many of which initially had zero registered voters, about 6.7 million voters were redistributed from approximately 12,000 congested polling units to new 17,000 less congested ones across the country in 2022.

Professor Amupitan explained that In the FCT alone, 411 polling units were decongested, and about 580,000 voters were redistributed to 1,156 polling units.

Highlight of the meeting was the swearing in of Dr Chukwu Chukwuemeka Joseph as a Resident Electoral Commissioner representing Abia State for a second term in office.

After taking the oath of office and that of allegiance, Professor Amupitan urged him to bring his wealth of knowledge to bear in his work and to remember that his role is not about overseeing elections but about fostering trust in the nation’s democracy.

Dr Chukwu Chukwuemeka in a brief remark promised not to disappoint the Commission’s trust in him.

In another development, the Executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria FOSIECON visited the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan

Led by its National Chairman, Mamman Nda Eri, the State electoral bodies commended some of the innovations the Commission had introduced but admitted that local government elections remain weaker and less trusted.

Mamman Nda-Eri appealed to the INEC Chairman for joint training and mentorship, technology sharing, policy dialogue on reforms and research and data exchange.

He said that when there was cooperation between the national and state election bodies it would stabilise democracy at the grassroots.

Responding the INEC Chairman said the Commission would give the Forum all the support needed to succeed.