By Our Reporter
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful 2027 general election, assuring Nigerians that the outcome will reflect the will of the electorate.
Acting Chairman of INEC, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, gave the assurance on Tuesday while receiving the African Union (AU) Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The AU delegation, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, is in Nigeria to assess the country’s electoral preparedness and identify areas where additional support and technical assistance may be required.
Gumus described the mission as an opportunity for peer assessment, institutional learning and further strengthening of Nigeria’s electoral processes.
She said the Commission valued its partnership with the AU in promoting democratic standards and credible electoral governance across Africa.
According to her, the mission should not be treated as a routine exercise but as an avenue to strengthen INEC’s institutional resilience and improve public confidence in the electoral process.
The Acting Chairman said INEC had commenced extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations for the 2027 elections to ensure that all eligible Nigerians could participate effectively.
She added that lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states were being used to improve the Commission’s preparations for the 2027 polls.
Gumus identified several areas where AU technical and institutional support would be valuable, including digital training for ad hoc election personnel, combating election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and improving inclusivity and gender-mainstreaming mechanisms.
She stressed that electoral integrity was a collective responsibility involving INEC, political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media, development partners and the electorate.
Gumus also reaffirmed the independence and neutrality of the electoral commission, saying it would conduct the 2027 elections professionally and in accordance with the law.
She said that under the current Commission led by Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, administrative decisions would be guided strictly by the law, while technological deployments would be aimed at enhancing transparency.
She assured Nigerians that the final outcome of the 2027 general election would reflect the sovereign will of the electorate.
Speaking on the AU mission, Mekonnen said the exercise was designed as a supportive and consultative engagement to assess preparations, identify possible gaps and risks, and explore areas where the AU could provide technical assistance.
He said the mission would engage INEC and other stakeholders on issues including voter registration and the integrity of the voters’ register, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management.
Mekonnen reaffirmed the AU’s partnership with Nigeria in strengthening democratic governance and promoting credible elections across the continent.