By Becky Momodu
Civil society organisations under the European Union Support for Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) have called on the Federal Government to urgently release adequate funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable the Commission effectively prepare for the 2027 general elections.
The organisations made the call during a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, on their memorandum to election stakeholders ahead of the elections, warning that timely funding would be critical to effective electoral planning, logistics and deployment.
The call was contained in a memorandum endorsed by the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), International Press Centre (IPC), Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), TAF Africa, The Kukah Centre (TKC) and Yiaga Africa.
INEC’s current official election calendar lists January 16, 2027 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and February 6, 2027 for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The groups said the successful conduct of the elections would depend significantly on INEC’s ability to plan adequately and provide the logistics required for polling across the country.
According to them, the security situation in some parts of the country makes early and comprehensive logistical planning particularly important, including arrangements for polling locations that may be affected by insecurity or difficult infrastructure.
“Election operations and logistics remain a critical part of effective elections administration,” the groups said, stressing that INEC needed access to funds early enough to undertake the necessary preparations.
They argued that the 2027 elections would present different operational requirements from previous general elections because of evolving security challenges and the need to make appropriate arrangements for voting centres and election personnel.
The civil society organisations therefore urged the Federal Government to ensure that the electoral commission receives adequate funding on time, saying delayed releases could affect procurement, logistics and other preparations required for the polls.
The organisations however said the call was a proactive measure to ensure adequate preparation for the elections, rather than a complaint that the electoral commission had been denied funding.
The CSOs also called for the timely appointment of qualified and non-partisan National Commissioners to fill vacancies expected to arise as the tenure of some commissioners comes to an end.
They said the leadership of the electoral commission should comprise individuals with the requisite integrity, independence, competence and capacity to administer elections and inspire public confidence.
