The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured Nigerians that the 2027 general election will be transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful, with results that genuinely reflect the will of voters.
Acting INEC Chairman, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, gave the assurance on Tuesday while hosting the African Union’s Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The delegation, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, is in the country to evaluate Nigeria’s electoral readiness and pinpoint areas that may need further support.
Gumus described the visit as more than a routine formality, calling it a valuable opportunity for peer review, institutional learning, and reinforcing public trust in the electoral system. She said INEC continues to draw important lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the FCT, Ekiti and Osun states as it ramps up operational, technological and logistical preparations for 2027.
She flagged several areas where AU assistance would be especially useful, including:
- Digital training for ad hoc election staff
- Combating election-related disinformation and deepfakes
- Strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre
- Advancing inclusivity and gender-mainstreaming initiatives
Gumus stressed that safeguarding electoral integrity is a shared responsibility among election bodies, political parties, civil society, security agencies, the media, development partners and voters themselves. She reaffirmed the Commission’s independence, saying that under Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, every decision will follow the law and every technological deployment will be geared toward transparency.
For his part, Mekonnen said the AU mission is a consultative exercise meant to assess ongoing preparations, identify gaps and risks, and explore possible technical support. The team plans to engage INEC and other stakeholders on voter registration integrity, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management — while reaffirming the AU’s continued partnership with Nigeria in strengthening democratic governance across the continent.
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