INEC Promises Credible Election In Edo, Ondo, Anambra

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured that all elections the commission will be conducting, in Edo, Ondo, Anambra and others before the 2027 general election will be free and credible.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahood Yakubu said the commission has also made 142 lists of reforms that would ensure the electoral processes in Nigeria are transparent.

Yakubu advised Nigerians to be patient with the commission. He said the commission has continued to innovate and reform to ensure the electoral process gets better.

He said this on Monday during a two-day retreat program for 10 Resident Electoral Officers

INEC Chairman said more than seven elections will be conducted by the commission before the 2027 general election.

Speaking on the 142 list recommendations, Professor Yakubu said some of the items would need a bill from the National Assembly, while some would be implemented by security agencies.

He assured that recommendations that required INEC’s implementation would be put into action ahead of the next off-cycle elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra and others.

“But in addition, there is also the outcome of the retreats and engagements with stakehold­ers, which is right now being published.

“I can tell you that the com­mission has made 142 recom­mendations on the improvement of electoral process in Nigeria.

“The reforms are categorized, the majority are for implemen­tation by administrative action by INEC, but some are to be im­plemented by security agencies.

“We have those that require amendment to the electoral le­gal frameworks by the National Assembly. Some are to be imple­mented by political parties and other stakeholders,” the INEC Chairman said.

On the availability of the recommendation report, INEC Boss advised Nigerians to be patient. He said the report would be made public as soon as it was ready. “As soon as the report is ready, we will go public and en­gage with Nigerians on these reforms.

“Nigerians should be patient, as soon as we conclude the pro­cess very soon, we will share this report with Nigerians,” Yakubu added.

On Edo election coming up on Saturday, 21 September, INEC said it lost 4,000 Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines to flood. He disclosed that 3,500 of BVAS machines have been replaced.

He, however, added that the remaining 500 would be taken from other states.

Mahmood added that Osun, Ekiti, Anambra and the FCT council election holding in 2026 would reflect innovations the commission had made since the last general election.

“Therefore, as we think, re­flect and innovate for credible elections, we are also instantly implementing the reforms and innovations that we can intro­duce by administrative action.

“Since election is a process governed by law, we also plan to intensify our engagement with the National Assembly for activ­ities that require legal reform,” he said.