Major opposition political parties have expressed concern over the delay in releasing funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections, warning that it could affect preparations and weaken public confidence in the electoral process.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) said timely funding is essential for the electoral body to procure sensitive materials, deploy technology, and complete other key activities ahead of the polls.
The concerns followed comments by INEC National Commissioner for Voter Education and Publicity, Mohammed Haruna, who disclosed that the commission had yet to receive budgetary releases for the 2027 elections, although preparations had already begun in line with the Electoral Act.
Haruna said the commission had commenced plans to procure new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to replace damaged and missing devices. He also revealed that INEC intends to conduct mock presidential election exercises to test its technology and prevent a repeat of the technical challenges experienced during the 2023 elections.
The electoral commission has proposed a budget of N873.78 billion for the 2027 elections to cover logistics, technology, election operations and capital projects.
ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said the delay in funding could create serious challenges because many election materials are sourced from outside Nigeria and require months to produce and deliver.
The PDP also warned that any delay in releasing funds could undermine the integrity of the electoral process. Its Interim National Working Committee spokesman, Ini Ememobong, said elections operate within strict constitutional timelines, adding that late funding could disrupt critical preparations.
The NDC described the situation as worrying but expressed confidence that both the executive and the National Assembly would ensure INEC received the resources required before the delay became a major obstacle.
However, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed concerns that the commission’s preparations were under threat.
APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duro Meseko said the party was confident President Bola Tinubu would ensure INEC received the support needed to conduct credible elections, adding that procurement processes were already underway.
Yiaga Africa Board of Trustees member, Prof. Nnamdi Aduba, also warned that delayed funding could undermine the credibility of the elections, stressing that early financing is essential for procurement, logistics and personnel mobilisation.
INEC, however, maintained that there was no cause for concern. A senior official of the commission said election funding is released in phases and that preparations, including technology upgrades and procurement of election materials, remain on schedule.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections will be held on February 6, 2027. Campaigns for the presidential election are expected to begin on August 19, 2026, while governorship campaigns will commence on September 9, 2026.
