Independent National Electoral Commission Directs RECs to Intensify Voter Education Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has directed Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) across the country to scale up voter education and sensitisation efforts in preparation for the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan gave the directive on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting with RECs, which also featured the swearing-in of the new REC representing Abia State, Dr Chukwu Chukwuemeka Joseph.

He urged eligible voters nationwide to take advantage of the commission’s platforms, particularly the Polling Unit Locator, to confirm their polling units ahead of the next electoral cycle.

The INEC chairman noted that although voter turnout recorded a modest improvement during the recent FCT Area Council elections, voter apathy remained a major concern that required sustained engagement.

According to him, participation increased from 9.4 per cent in 2022 to about 15 per cent in the latest election, with over 239,000 voters casting their ballots compared to 148,685 in 2022, stressing that more work was needed to deepen voter confidence and participation.

Addressing public concerns over alleged “voter migration” in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Amupitan clarified that no voter relocation occurred in 2026. He explained that the redistribution of voters was part of a nationwide initiative carried out in 2022 to decongest overcrowded polling units and improve access.

He said the exercise involved expanding about 12,000 congested polling units and creating over 56,000 new ones nationwide, with approximately 6.7 million voters redistributed to less congested units located only a few metres from their original polling centres within the same communities.

In the FCT alone, he disclosed that 411 polling units were decongested and about 580,000 voters were redistributed to 1,156 polling units, noting that the same voters successfully voted in those units during the 2023 general election.

Amupitan further recalled that during a mock accreditation exercise held on February 7 in the FCT, some voters complained about difficulties locating their polling units, despite the redistribution having taken place in 2022.

He said the commission subsequently sent fresh text messages and emails containing the Polling Unit Locator link to affected voters and directed the display of the voter register at impacted polling units to help citizens confirm their details before the election.

Despite widespread publicity and these measures, the INEC boss admitted that some voters still experienced challenges in locating their polling units, underscoring the need for continuous voter enlightenment.

He emphasised that even well-designed electoral policies would fall short if citizens did not understand the processes, stressing that voter awareness must be ongoing rather than episodic.

Amupitan therefore charged RECs to intensify grassroots sensitisation in their respective states and encourage citizens to verify their polling unit details early and, where possible, physically visit their polling locations before election day to ensure a seamless voting experience in future elections.