2027: AU Tasks INEC on Credible Elections as INEC Assures of Replicating Osun’s Model

2027: AU Tasks INEC on Credible Elections as INEC Assures of Replicating Osun’s Model

By Raphael Ekpang

Abuja (Core Reporters) — The African Union (AU) has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with ensuring credible, transparent and inclusive elections in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, as the Commission assured that lessons from the recently concluded Osun governorship election would be replicated nationwide.

The AU made the demand as its seven-day Pre-Election and Needs Assessment Mission commenced an assessment of Nigeria’s preparedness for the 2027 polls.

The mission, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonen Hassen, is in Nigeria from September 13 to 19, 2026, to assess the country’s electoral preparedness, identify potential gaps and recommend measures to address them ahead of the elections.

The assessment comes as INEC prepares to conduct one of the country’s largest electoral operations, involving a projected electorate of nearly 100 million voters, 176,846 polling units and more than 1.4 million ad hoc personnel.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.

Speaking during the mission, Hassen said the AU assessment would cover the entire electoral process, from the pre-election period to voting and results management.

He stressed that the quality of preparations ahead of election day would be critical to the credibility and acceptance of the eventual results.

The AU envoy challenged INEC to demonstrate readiness in critical areas, including the credibility of the voter register, deployment of electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, security coordination and the management and publication of election results.

The mission is also seeking clarification on outstanding legal and administrative issues and measures being taken to safeguard the independence of the electoral commission while ensuring effective security coordination during the elections.

A major area of concern for the AU is the voter register, which is approaching the 100-million mark.

The delegation wants assurances that the register will be finalised, credible and available for scrutiny by political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders before the elections.

The issue has assumed greater importance with INEC’s ongoing collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on the integration of National Identification Numbers into the Continuous Voter Registration process.

The initiative is expected to strengthen voter verification, auditing and cleaning of the register and reduce vulnerabilities capable of undermining confidence in the electoral roll.

Responding to the AU mission, INEC, represented by National Commissioner Prof. Rhoda Gumus on behalf of the Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, said recent off-cycle elections had provided the Commission with opportunities to test its systems and strengthen preparations for 2027.

Gumus specifically cited the August 15, 2026 Osun governorship election as a major operational benchmark, noting that more than 94 per cent of polling units opened early while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) performed optimally.

She said INEC also deployed the IRF portal to resolve issues encountered during the election and recorded improved coordination among security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security Matters.

According to her, elections conducted in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and other locations had similarly enabled the Commission to test its processes, identify weaknesses and improve its procedures under the Electoral Act 2026.

She assured the AU delegation that INEC would draw from these experiences, particularly the Osun model, in strengthening its preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The Commission, however, acknowledged the enormous operational demands of the 2027 elections, particularly the recruitment, training and deployment of more than 1.4 million ad hoc personnel.

It therefore sought AU technical support in areas including digital training, e-learning, simulation exercises and standardised ICT training for the temporary workforce that will participate in the elections.

INEC also requested assistance in tackling election disinformation and information-integrity challenges, particularly the growing threat of artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.

The Commission wants support for rapid-response strategic communication and mechanisms capable of detecting and countering manipulated information before false narratives undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

It further sought AU support for capacity-building and operational workshops for its Election Monitoring and Support Centre.

On inclusion, INEC requested stronger technical assistance on gender mainstreaming and measures aimed at improving the participation of persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, women, young people and other underrepresented groups.

The Commission also said it would strengthen monitoring of political parties’ compliance with gender-related requirements.

Beyond technology and personnel, the AU mission is examining INEC’s funding and logistics ahead of the polls.

Hassen asked whether the Commission would receive adequate and timely funding to execute the electoral programme and how it intended to address logistical challenges that could affect the deployment of personnel and sensitive election materials.

Security coordination also featured prominently in the assessment, with the AU seeking assurances that security arrangements would protect voters and election officials while preserving INEC’s institutional independence.

The mission is equally examining how results will be managed, verified and published under the new legal framework, with emphasis on integrity, transparency and timeliness.

Hassen described the AU intervention as a supporting and preventive exercise aimed at identifying electoral risks early enough to allow for corrective action before election day.

He stressed that credible elections require a level playing field, broad participation, transparency and outcomes capable of commanding acceptance among political competitors and the wider population.

INEC assured the delegation of its full cooperation, promising access to relevant operational data, directors and technical teams throughout the assessment.

The Commission also reaffirmed its independence, neutrality and commitment to conducting the 2027 elections in accordance with the law.

With nearly 100 million voters, 176,846 polling units and more than 1.4 million ad hoc personnel potentially involved, the AU mission represents an early assessment of the machinery that will determine whether Nigeria can translate its recent electoral reforms and technological investments into a credible nationwide election.

Its September 13–19 assessment is therefore expected to provide an important external perspective on the risks INEC must address before Nigerians return to the polls in January and February 2027.