The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is preparing for the 2027 general elections with a newly updated Election Project Plan (EPP).
According to a senior official within the commission, lessons from the 2023 elections are being applied to improve the process.
The official revealed to Saturday PUNCH that the commission is refining its election templates for the upcoming cycle, focusing on improving efficiency and reliability.
“The formulation also includes the production of the 2027 – 2031 Strategic Plan to replace the current 2022 – 2026 plan, which ends in December next year,” the official shared.
A crucial aspect of the current planning is the creation of a transitional document that will bridge the gap between the 2026-2027 period. This document will form the foundation for the 2027 EPP.
The official also highlighted the EPP’s singular focus on the general election, in contrast to the broader scope of the previous strategic plans that focused on capacity building and resource utilization.
The EPP was first introduced ahead of the 2015 elections and has been updated for each subsequent election cycle.
The 2023 election, which saw over 93 million voters and a logistical feat involving 1.5 million personnel and 182,491 vehicles, faced significant challenges, especially with the delays in uploading presidential election results due to technical glitches.
However, the system was later updated to resolve these issues.
INEC’s ongoing efforts aim to ensure smoother operations for the 2027 polls.
