The Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Rhoda Gumus, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to conducting transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful 2027 general elections.
She gave the assurance while receiving the African Union (AU) Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The AU delegation, led by former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen, is in Nigeria to assess the country’s electoral preparedness and identify areas requiring further support ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Welcoming the delegation, Gumus described the visit as an important opportunity for peer assessment, institutional learning and strengthening Nigeria’s electoral processes.
She said INEC valued its partnership with the African Union in advancing democratic standards and credible electoral governance across the continent.
Gumus noted that the mission should not be seen as a mere formality but as a mechanism for strengthening institutional resilience and reinforcing public confidence in the electoral process.
She highlighted the scale of preparations already underway for the 2027 General Elections, saying the Commission was undertaking extensive operational, technological and logistical measures to ensure effective participation by all eligible Nigerians.
The Acting Chairman explained that lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states continued to provide valuable insights for improving electoral administration.
She identified areas where technical and institutional support from the AU would be beneficial, including digital training for ad hoc election personnel, combating election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and deepening inclusivity and gender-mainstreaming frameworks.
Gumus emphasised that electoral integrity remained a collective responsibility involving electoral institutions, political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media, development partners and the electorate.
She also reaffirmed the independence, neutrality and professionalism of the Commission, assuring that administrative decisions would strictly follow the law while technical deployments would enhance transparency.
According to her, the outcome of the 2027 General Elections would reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Head of the AU Mission, Demeke Mekonnen, said the engagement was designed to assess activities already underway, identify existing gaps and risks, and explore possible areas of technical assistance.
He explained that the mission would engage with INEC and other key stakeholders to examine preparedness in voter registration and register integrity, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management.
Mekonnen underscored the continued partnership between Nigeria and the African Union in promoting democratic governance across the continent.
