The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has begun a two day induction and strategic retreat for its newly appointed leadership as part of early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The retreat is holding from January 9 to January 10, 2026, in Ikeja, Lagos. It brings together INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan SAN, national commissioners, resident electoral commissioners, directors and other senior officials.
Speaking at the opening, Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner Professor Ayobami Salami said the retreat is meant to align strategy with effective leadership and execution across the commission.
Professor Amupitan, who assumed office on October 23, 2025, praised INEC staff nationwide for the conduct of the November 8 Anambra State governorship election. He said the exercise showed the commission’s readiness to handle future electoral challenges.
While stressing that the 2027 general election remains INEC’s main focus, the chairman pointed to nearer milestones. These include the Federal Capital Territory area council elections in February 2026 and upcoming governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun states.
He said the elections will help the commission fine tune processes such as voter registration management and the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System.
Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections. He also stressed the need to build trust among young and technology driven voters.
“The rule of law is not a suggestion. It is our operating system,” he said, pledging strict compliance with the Electoral Act 2022 and its amendments.
Participants are expected to deliberate on 17 thematic areas, including logistics, personnel management, continuous voter registration, election security, inter agency collaboration and political party regulation.
INEC Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Omozua Ajayi, said the retreat will help induct new members into the commission’s framework, deepen understanding of electoral laws and encourage experience sharing among senior election managers.
The INEC chairman urged participants to use the retreat to strengthen internal collaboration, adding that the commission aims to become a leading election management body in Africa built on integrity, efficiency and democratic values.
