Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the five legislative bye-elections held across four states on Saturday will provide operational lessons for preparations ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

Amupitan spoke on Saturday while presiding over operations at the commission’s national situation room at its headquarters in Abuja.

 

The INEC chairman, alongside national commissioners and senior management officials, monitored reports from the various locations as voting progressed.

 

The bye-elections were held on Saturday in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye federal constituency in Gombe state; the Dawakin Kudu state constituency in Kano; the Sakwa and Disina state constituencies in Bauchi; and the Udu state constituency in Delta.

 

 

Amupitan described off-cycle elections as important tests of the commission’s preparedness, saying no election should be treated as routine.

 

“These four bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 General Election,” he said.

 

He said the commission would use the experience from the polls to examine its logistics, technology and administrative preparedness.

 

 

“We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary by-election,” he added.

 

“Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations for the 2027 General Election, allowing us to continuously audit our logistics framework, stress-test our technological deployment, and evaluate administrative field readiness.”

 

Amupitan said the commission had also identified and addressed operational challenges that arose before the polls.

 

“Our primary mandate in the situation room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution,” Amupitan said.

 

“Whatever administrative or field challenges arose before the day of the elections, the commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively.

 

“We remain committed to refining our processes so that every subsequent exercise reflects higher standards of efficiency and public confidence.”