A public affairs commentator, Onogwu Muhammed, has defended the performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under its chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, saying the commission’s recent off-cycle elections demonstrate improved preparedness ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Muhammed made the position in an article dated November 13, 2026, titled, ‘Three Off-Cycle Polls, Zero Osun Petitions, and Street Theatre in London: Why INEC’s 2027 Readiness Demands Diaspora Support, Not Partisan Agitation’.
He cited the governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, alongside 16 legislative bye-elections and the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls, as evidence of improvements in election planning, logistics, technology deployment and stakeholder engagement.
According to him, the three off-cycle governorship elections provided INEC with opportunities to strengthen its electoral processes and rebuild public confidence.
He particularly highlighted the August 15, 2026, Osun governorship election, claiming that no defeated candidate or political party filed a petition at the election tribunal within the statutory 21-day period.
Muhammed described the development as significant, arguing that the absence of election petitions suggested broad acceptance of the election outcome.
He also commended INEC’s preparations for the November 2025 Anambra governorship election, which he described as Professor Amupitan’s first major electoral test after assuming office.
The author said the commission deployed 5,718 polling units, more than 24,000 ad hoc staff, 6,879 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, 3,000 vehicles and 83 boats to facilitate the exercise, particularly in riverine communities.
He added that extending the collection period for Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) helped push the collection rate to 98.80 per cent, while the deployment of sign-language interpreters improved access for voters with disabilities.
On the June 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Muhammed said early consultations with political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies and traditional rulers contributed to a largely peaceful exercise.
However, he acknowledged that observers raised concerns about vote-buying and isolated operational challenges, noting that INEC needed to address such weaknesses ahead of the 2027 elections.
The commentator also defended Amupitan’s appearance at Chatham House in London, where the INEC chairman engaged stakeholders on the commission’s preparations for the next general elections.
He said Amupitan addressed issues including network failures, BVAS deployment, the use of artificial intelligence to clean the voter register and election funding.
On political party leadership disputes and candidate disqualification, Muhammed said the INEC chairman appropriately maintained that the commission was an administrative body and could only act on binding judicial decisions.
He argued that the chairman’s position demonstrated the importance of institutional neutrality, particularly amid more than 300 pre-election cases reportedly pending before the courts.
The article also referenced INEC’s disclosure that 54 staff members were facing disciplinary action over alleged voter register manipulation, describing the development as evidence of efforts to address internal weaknesses.
Muhammed, however, criticised the protest against Amupitan outside Chatham House, describing it as an unnecessary distraction from the commission’s engagement with Nigerians in the diaspora.
He urged Nigerians living abroad to support voter education, civic sensitisation and peaceful electoral participation rather than engage in partisan demonstrations.
Looking ahead to 2027, the author identified logistics, electoral technology, staff training and voter register integrity as critical areas requiring further attention.
He warned that the presidential, National Assembly and state assembly elections would present a much bigger challenge than the off-cycle governorship polls, requiring stronger coordination and reliable contingency measures.
Muhammed said INEC must sustain its reforms and remain independent to ensure that electoral outcomes reflect the will of voters.
He added that the ultimate test of the commission’s performance would be its ability to deliver credible elections in 2027 and reduce the tendency of political parties to seek judicial intervention after electoral contests.