By Solomon OKPO
The Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community (AKHRC) has convened a high-level strategic dialogue with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and civil society organizations to assess the Commission’s preparedness for the 2027 General Elections.
The February 2026 roundtable, held at the AKHRC Secretariat in Uyo, brought together key grassroots stakeholders under the theme, “Strengthening Electoral Integrity: Assessing INEC’s Preparedness Towards the 2027 General Elections.”
Receiving the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Obo Efanga, and members of the Commission’s management team, AKHRC Convener Clifford Thomas said participants were carefully selected from the Community’s 270-member network of organizations, institutions and individuals to ensure broad-based grassroots representation.
Thomas stressed the urgency of deepening voter education and citizen participation ahead of the next electoral cycle, noting that early engagement remains critical to building public trust in the process.
In her presentation, the REC traced Nigeria’s electoral evolution from the 1979 general elections to the 2023 polls, highlighting incremental reforms and technological advancements introduced over the decades. She noted that while innovations have strengthened transparency and credibility, they have also significantly increased the cost of election management.
According to her, logistics, personnel remuneration and the deployment of advanced technologies now account for a substantial share of election expenses nationwide.
A major highlight of the dialogue was INEC’s announcement of the official timetable for the 2027 General Elections.
The Commission fixed:
February 20, 2027 – Presidential and National Assembly Elections
March 15, 2027 – Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections
The early release of the schedule, the REC explained, is intended to give political actors, civil society groups, security agencies and voters adequate time to prepare.
INEC’s Director of ICT also outlined planned upgrades to electronic result transmission systems. He spoke of enhancements aimed at improving real-time data transmission, strengthening cybersecurity architecture and streamlining result collation platforms to reinforce public confidence in election outcomes.
Participants at the roundtable included representatives of the Practicing Traditional Birth Attendants of Akwa Ibom State, Policy Alert, FoCEHRaDA, Vital Partners, CDHR, CCHR, CHRAN, Peoples Right to Life, alongside journalists and other civil society actors.
Discussions centered on strengthening the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) process, improving Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection mechanisms,
advancing technological innovation in accreditation and result transmission, and enhancing the training and capacity of ad-hoc staff.
Other focal areas included combating misinformation through verified communication channels, boosting inclusivity for marginalized communities, and improving security coordination to guarantee voter safety.
The dialogue concluded with a renewed commitment by INEC, civil society organizations, media practitioners and technology partners to sustained collaboration, seen as essential to safeguarding the integrity, transparency and credibility of the 2027 electoral process in Akwa Ibom State.
The Evangelist News
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