By Clement Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed its staff nationwide to suspend further annual leave as part of intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections, warning that negligence, partisanship, absenteeism and financial misconduct will attract severe sanctions.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, announced the directive on Friday in Lokoja, Kogi State, during the Commission’s North-Central Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 General Election.
The directive comes as the electoral body intensifies preparations for the elections, which will involve more than 103 million registered voters across 176,846 polling units nationwide.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Addressing National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), directors and other officials from the North-Central zone and the Federal Capital Territory, Amupitan said the approaching elections required maximum commitment, administrative discipline and operational efficiency from every member of staff.
He charged RECs and Administrative Secretaries to enforce strict attendance and accountability measures, stressing that the Commission would not tolerate conduct capable of undermining the credibility of the electoral process.
As part of efforts to boost staff morale and operational efficiency, the INEC chairman unveiled a package of welfare and logistical reforms, including a new salary structure, improved field allowances, increased funding for state offices and the provision of additional operational vehicles.
Amupitan disclosed that the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), which replaced the conventional civil service salary structure, took effect from January 1, 2026, adding that processes were ongoing to secure the necessary cash backing for its implementation.
He also announced enhanced salary, hazard and field allowance packages for personnel, alongside a 150 per cent increase in monthly overhead allocations to state offices, effective July 1, 2026.
On logistics, the INEC chairman said operational pick-up vehicles had been distributed to state and Local Government Area offices nationwide to strengthen field operations.
He added that the Commission had procured 20 Sports Utility Vehicles for Resident Electoral Commissioners, while Administrative Secretaries would also receive new vehicles to improve their operational capacity.
According to him, the interventions are designed to ensure that electoral personnel are adequately equipped and motivated to discharge their responsibilities effectively before, during and after the elections.
On technological preparedness, Amupitan identified the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of results and other digital platforms as critical components of the Commission’s preparations for the 2027 polls.
He disclosed that INEC was configuring its BVAS infrastructure, including 57,000 newly procured devices, to facilitate faster voter verification and accreditation on election day.
The chairman further revealed that the Commission’s electronic result management systems, including the eEC8A verification platform, were undergoing audits to guarantee the transparent management and transmission of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He also announced that Printable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and a digital PVC Location Portal had been activated to improve voter access and facilitate the collection and identification of voter cards.
Amupitan said the preliminary voters’ register had been published for public scrutiny, while the certified Register of Voters would be published on December 15, 2026.
Addressing concerns over photographs appearing on the preliminary register, he explained that the data remained subject to verification before the final register would be produced.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Kogi State, Dr. Alhaji Shehu L. Wahab, said the state office was strengthening its preparations for the elections despite additional responsibilities arising from the restoration of 12 previously suppressed State Constituencies.
Wahab disclosed that the commission had commenced internal preparations covering Electoral Risk Management, election monitoring, security coordination and voter awareness programmes targeting persons with disabilities.
He also said the state office was collaborating with security agencies to address the perception of Kogi as a violence-prone state during elections and ensure a peaceful electoral process.
The Lokoja engagement followed a courtesy visit by the INEC chairman to the Kogi State Council of Traditional Rulers on Thursday, during which he sought the support of traditional institutions in mobilising voters, promoting peaceful political participation and combating electoral misinformation.
The two-day meeting brought together National Commissioners, RECs, directors, Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Department, Electoral Officers and other personnel, with emphasis on translating preparations at the national headquarters into effective operations across states and local government areas.
Speaking on the objectives of the exercise, the Director of Planning and Monitoring, Mrs. Helen Ajayi, said the assessment was designed to evaluate the preparedness of state offices, identify operational and logistical challenges, improve staff motivation and monitor the implementation of the Commission’s strategic plans.
She urged Electoral Officers and other field personnel to cooperate with the assessment teams and work closely with the Planning and Monitoring Department to identify gaps and ensure effective implementation of planned activities.
With nine of the 14 statutory milestones already completed and the election timetable in place, INEC said the success and credibility of the 2027 general elections would depend not only on the deployment of technology but also on the discipline, neutrality, welfare and operational effectiveness of its personnel.
