Reps Summon INEC Chair, ADC Alleges Plot to Postpone 2027 Elections

The House of Representatives has summoned the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, to brief its Committee on Electoral Matters on preparations for the 2027 general elections, amid concerns over insecurity, election logistics and the possible disenfranchisement of voters.

The directive requires Amupitan to appear before the committee within seven legislative days to provide a detailed assessment of the commission’s readiness for the polls. Punch Newspapers +1

The committee is expected to examine progress in continuous voter registration, the production and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, as well as the recruitment and training of electoral officials.

Lawmakers also want details of the commission’s budgetary allocations, funds released, outstanding disbursements and the implications of any funding shortfalls for the election timetable.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Minority Whip, Mansur Soro, and the Deputy Minority Leader, Abdulsamad Dasuki, during Wednesday’s plenary.

Presenting the motion, Soro cited provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Electoral Act 2026, which establish INEC’s responsibility for organising and supervising elections.

He said the credibility and acceptability of the 2027 elections would depend on adequate preparations in voter registration, logistics, technology, personnel training, security coordination and funding. Punch Newspapers

The lawmakers also highlighted operational difficulties at continuous voter registration centres, including inadequate equipment, insufficient personnel, network disruptions and long waiting times.

They warned that such challenges could disproportionately affect first-time voters, rural residents, students, workers and persons with disabilities, potentially limiting their participation if not addressed promptly.

Dasuki expressed concern about the effect of insecurity on electoral participation, particularly in areas where residents might be unable to reach polling units or where election operations could be disrupted.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu opposed the initial proposal to invite the INEC chairman before the full House, arguing that the matter should be handled by the committee constitutionally responsible for electoral oversight.

Speaker Tajudeen Abbas subsequently clarified that the committee should invite Amupitan and publicise the date of his appearance to allow interested lawmakers to participate.

Meanwhile, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council has alleged a plot to pressure INEC into postponing the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, claimed that Amupitan could be summoned to the Presidential Villa and pressured to alter the electoral timetable.

The council, however, did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation, and the reported meeting had not been independently established.

It warned President Bola Tinubu against using the Ebola outbreak as a justification for changing the election date, insisting that any alteration to the timetable must be based on verifiable circumstances and made transparently.

The council said health authorities should be allowed to manage public health concerns while INEC takes appropriate precautions to protect voters and election personnel.

The ADC also urged domestic election observers and international monitoring organisations to scrutinise any proposal to postpone the poll. It maintained that Nigerians should be allowed to assess the administration’s performance through the scheduled electoral process.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s Director-General, Jide Idris, was cited by the council as saying there was no current need to postpone the election because of the outbreak.

The Presidency and INEC were not reported as responding directly to the ADC’s specific allegation in the statement.

Under INEC’s published timetable, presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The House’s intervention is intended to scrutinise the commission’s preparations and identify potential gaps ahead of the elections, while the ADC’s allegations have introduced a separate political dispute over whether the published timetable will be maintained.