2027 Elections: INEC Inaugurates Multi-Agency Logistics Committee
*No Nigerian must be Disenfranchised Due to Late Arrival of Materials
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has inaugurated the Electoral Logistics Committee (ELOC) for the 2027 General Election, charging its members to deliver seamless execution of the Commission’s logistics operations.
The inauguration took place on Thursday 15th October, 2026, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Prof. Amupitan said the exercise marked the beginning of the Commission’s journey towards the 2027 General Election, with a primary focus on strengthening the pillars that support the democratic process.
According to him, logistics remains one of the most critical of these pillars and often the most challenging.
“Today’s inauguration of the Electoral Logistics Committee marks a proactive step in ensuring that the 2027 General Election is defined by seamless execution and operational excellence,” the Chairman said.
Prof. Amupitan explained that the Commission opted for a multi-agency approach in view of the complexities of moving men and materials across the vast and varied terrain of Nigeria.
He announced Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (rtd), a National Commissioner, as Chairperson of the committee.
The INEC Chairman said her distinguished career, combined with the specialised skills of members drawn from military and paramilitary bodies, would provide the discipline and strategic oversight required for the task.
He added that the inclusion of security and logistics experts from various arms of service “underscores our resolve to treat election logistics as a matter of national priority.”
Prof. Amupitan noted that the success of any election depends largely on logistics, stressing that the credibility of the process is ultimately judged by whether voters find their polling units open, equipped and ready at the appointed time.
“Election logistics involve the intricate movement of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials by land, sea and air. It requires precision, security and timeliness. This is why we are starting early,” he said.
The INEC Chairman outlined the committee’s terms of reference, which include assessing the total logistics requirement for the 2027 General Election and developing a comprehensive plan for the storage, distribution, deployment and retrieval of all election materials.
The committee is also to audit the readiness of warehouses, vehicles and transport hubs, including airports and seaports, identify gaps at all levels and recommend corrective measures.
Other terms of reference include monitoring compliance with approved logistics plans and schedules, identifying and mitigating risks such as transportation bottlenecks, shortages and security threats, and formalising arrangements for the secure transport of materials through road, air and maritime channels.
The committee will also liaise with government agencies and transport unions, coordinate with INEC departments and state offices, and submit periodic reports and recommendations to the Commission.
Prof. Amupitan said Nigeria’s geography, from the creeks of the Niger Delta to the arid plains of the north, demands a logistics plan that is both flexible and resilient.
“We must anticipate the weather, the terrain and the security environment to ensure that no Nigerian is disenfranchised due to late arrival of materials,” he said.
He described the 2027 General Election as “a marathon, not a sprint,” adding that the inauguration of the committee was laying the foundation for a transparent, efficient and credible election.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Rear Admiral Malafa said the Commission had over the years established inter-agency bodies to handle complex operational tasks and election logistics in each electoral cycle.
“Managing election logistics is the operational bedrock of our democratic process, directly impacting electoral integrity and public confidence,” she said.
She said the core mandate of the committee was to drive a strategic plan, informed by a review of past elections, to ensure seamless deployment of logistics equipment and eliminate systemic and critical vulnerabilities.
Rear Admiral Malafa listed the committee’s areas of focus to include strategic air and cargo planning for the airlift, receipt and distribution of sensitive materials to airports and state capitals.
She said the committee would also map bottlenecks and inadequacies in storage facilities, vehicles, fleets, aircraft availability and cargo handling, in order to prevent deployment delays.
According to her, the committee will source, coordinate and monitor the movement of men and materials down to the local government areas, including marine and riverine areas.
It will also formulate an operational security template integrating transport unions, security agencies and state offices, and map difficult terrains, security-challenged zones and crisis-prone locations, with customised transit and security arrangements for each.
The committee, she added, will submit a comprehensive and harmonised report detailing clear action plans with strict operational timelines.
Rear Admiral Malafa said the committee may constitute ad hoc sub-committees on airlift operations, land transportation, maritime transportation, storage operations and security operations, to provide specialised guidance in regular and difficult terrains.
She stated that the success of the committee would depend largely on inter-agency cooperation, while the Commission would provide clear material schedules and overall policy coordination.
“This national assignment demands speed, precision and coordination,” she said, urging members to approach the task “with patriotic dedication and professional excellence.”
The inauguration was attended by the Representative of the Inspector General of Police, who is Commissioner of Police in Charge of Elections, Abayomi Shogunle, Representatives of the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Central Bank of Nigeria, representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Customs Service.
Also present were leaders of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
TAKE MESSAGE AGAINST VOTER APATHY, VOTE BUYING AND VIOLENCE TO PALACES, MARKETS, WORSHIP CENTRES, CAMPUSES AND VILLAGE SQUARES, INEC CHARGES NOA OFFICIALS
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has charged the leadership and field officers of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to take the message against voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence to every community in the country.
Prof. Amupitan gave the charge on Thursday 15th October, 2026, in Abuja at the flag-off of the NOA Nationwide Grassroots Mobilisation for the 2027 General Election.
Addressing the Agency’s management, State Directors and field personnel, he described them as “the vital bridge between electoral policy and civic action.”
He urged them, as they embark on the campaign across all 774 Local Government Areas, to take the message “to every palace, market, place of worship, campus, and village square.”
The INEC Chairman said the success of the 2027 General Election “depends heavily on defeating three destructive anti-democratic forces: voter apathy, vote buying, and electoral violence.”
On voter apathy, Prof. Amupitan said it “erodes the legitimacy of democratic governance.” He explained that “when citizens abstain from voting, they yield their power to a minority.”
He asked the officers to tell citizens that 2027 was “not just a year on the calendar; it is a rendezvous with destiny.”
“Do not wait until election week to get involved. Check your registration status, collect your PVCs now, stay informed, come out on Election Day, vote peacefully according to your conscience, and protect your community from violence,” he said.
Prof. Amupitan assured Nigerians that “every valid vote cast will be accurately counted and reflected in the final outcome,” adding that “the combination of BVAS accreditation and IReV result publication ensures that your vote is your power.”
On vote buying, the INEC Chairman described the practice as “a direct attack on constitutional democracy.” According to him, it “degrades the sanctity of the ballot and sells the collective future of our communities for short-term financial gain.”
He disclosed that INEC had reconfigured polling unit layouts “to guarantee absolute ballot secrecy, ensuring no voter can expose their marked ballot to party agents or financial solicitors.”
He added that, through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), the Commission was partnering with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and security agencies “to monitor financial flows around polling environments and arrest those who trade money for votes.”
On electoral violence, Prof. Amupitan said: “No political ambition justifies the shedding of blood or the destruction of property.”
He warned that electoral violence, hate speech and “the emerging threat of AI-generated deepfakes designed to incite ethnoreligious conflict must be confronted decisively.” He called on political parties, candidates and youth groups to “embrace peace and utilize legal channels to resolve all electoral disputes.”
The INEC Chairman also urged the officials to carry a message to political parties. “Play by the rules. Democracy thrives on the beauty of the argument, not the force of the arm,” he said, urging them to campaign on issues, avoid hate speech and “refrain from commercialising the ballot.”
He asked civil society organisations and the media to “continue your robust oversight, fact-check viral narratives, and educate the public with truth and objectivity.”
Prof. Amupitan assured the gathering that the Commission was ready for the election. “INEC is ready, prepared, and resolutely committed to conducting a free, fair, transparent, and credible 2027 General Election,” he said.
He said the National Register of Voters now stands at over 103 million, with 176,846 polling units nationwide, and that INEC had executed nine of the 14 key statutory activities in its Timetable and Schedule of Activities.
In his keynote address, the Director-General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the campaign’s theme “expresses both an invitation and a responsibility.”
Mallam Issa-Onilu said the three challenges threatened the democratic process in different ways. “Voter apathy weakens the breadth of public participation and leaves important decisions to fewer people,” he said. “Vote buying undermines freedom of choice by exploiting vulnerability. Electoral violence threatens lives, silences citizens and damages relationships that communities will need long after the ballots have been counted.”
He added: “No political ambition should cost a Nigerian life. No disagreement should destroy the bonds between neighbours. No temporary inducement should determine a citizen’s choice about our collective future.”
The NOA Director-General said the Agency would deploy its State Directorates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers in the 774 Local Government Areas.
He said the campaign was “strictly non-partisan” and would be delivered through community dialogues, local-language communication, radio discussions, drama, short audio messages and digital platforms.
Mallam Issa-Onilu also requested INEC’s “continued technical collaboration, timely access to verified voter education information and close coordination with our national, state and local structures.”
The event was held under the theme “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future: Say No to Apathy, Vote Buying and Violence. Let’s Build a United Nigeria in 2027.”
It was attended by National Commissioners, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, and representatives of youth, women and persons with disabilities.
Prof. Amupitan said that together with the NOA, security partners and Nigerians, “we will build a united, peaceful, and democratic Nigeria in 2027.”
