Title: INEC to Review 2027 Election Timetable, Tightens Logistics and Result Management Date Published: 26 February 2026 Description: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to issue a revised timetable for the 2027 general election to align with provisions of the newly enacted Electoral Act, 2026.INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and the swearing-in of a new REC for Abia State.Amupitan explained that the notice of election earlier released on February 13, 2026, was issued under the old legal framework, necessitating adjustments following the enactment of the new law. According to him, the commission would soon release an updated timetable reflecting the changes.He also revealed that INEC is reviewing its transport and logistics model ahead of the 2027 polls after its Election Operations Dashboard showed that only 45 per cent of polling units opened by 8:30 a.m. during the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils election, although full deployment was achieved by 10:00 a.m.The chairman said staff responsible for logistics delays in Kuje Area Council and Kabusa Ward in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) have been identified and would be queried, while a transporter linked to delays in Kwali Area Council would be blacklisted.Reflecting on the recently concluded FCT Area Council election and state constituency elections in Kano and Rivers States, Amupitan said the exercises offered important lessons, describing some as reassuring and others sobering.He addressed public concerns over alleged “voter migration” in the FCT, clarifying that no voter migration occurred in 2026. He explained that the redistribution of voters followed the expansion of polling units implemented nationwide in 2022, which increased polling units from about 119,972 to over 176,000.Amupitan said about 6.7 million voters were redistributed from congested polling units to less crowded ones nationwide, while in the FCT alone, 411 polling units were decongested, leading to the redistribution of about 580,000 voters to 1,156 polling units.He acknowledged complaints from some voters who had difficulty locating their reassigned polling units and said INEC would resend text messages to affected voters to improve accessibility and participation.Stressing the need for sustained voter education, the INEC chairman directed all RECs to intensify continuous voter sensitisation, noting that sound policies are ineffective if citizens do not fully understand electoral processes.On election security, Amupitan commended the peaceful conduct of polls in the FCT as well as in Kano and Rivers States, praising security agencies for preventing violence. However, he condemned incidents involving thugs at collation centres in Kuje and Kwali Area Councils, noting that the situations were promptly contained and results duly collated.He also highlighted improvements in INEC’s result management system, explaining that new safeguards in the BVAS and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) now prevent over-voting and ensure mathematical consistency in results transmission.Addressing allegations of result manipulation at a polling unit in Yangoji Ward, Kwali Area Council, Amupitan said investigations revealed the issue stemmed from a clerical error by a presiding officer, not electoral fraud, and that corrective measures were taken transparently.The chairman warned that the commission would no longer tolerate absenteeism, lateness, or dereliction of duty among its staff, stressing that sanctions would be applied where necessary.Looking ahead, he said upcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun would further test INEC’s readiness, noting that preparations for the 2027 general election must be approached with discipline, humility, and resolve.Amupitan added that INEC would soon embark on a comprehensive clean-up of the voters’ register to further strengthen its integrity ahead of the 2027 polls, reaffirming the commission’s commitment to credible, transparent, and peaceful elections in Nigeria. Attached Images: 1b87d4def82832a3b0f9b4bf2401ef852d97220992aa6336d803a82447c6330f.jpg Attached Video: None