By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the 2027 general election will be conducted transparently and peacefully, with the final outcome reflecting the choice of the electorate.

Acting INEC Chairman, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving the African Union (AU) Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission at the Commission’s headquarters.

The AU delegation, led by Ethiopia’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, is in Nigeria to assess the country’s level of preparedness for the 2027 elections and identify areas where additional technical support may be required.

Gumus described the AU mission as timely, saying it would provide an opportunity for institutional learning, peer assessment and further strengthening of Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the polls.

She said INEC regarded its partnership with the AU as important to promoting democratic standards and improving the credibility of elections across Africa.

According to her, the assessment should go beyond routine engagement, stressing that it could help strengthen the Commission’s institutional capacity and improve public confidence in the electoral process.

The acting chairman said preparations for the 2027 elections were already progressing across operational, technological and logistical areas, with the Commission working to ensure that all eligible Nigerians could participate effectively.

She added that INEC was drawing lessons from recent off-cycle elections conducted in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states to improve its preparations for the national polls.

Gumus also identified areas where further AU support could strengthen the electoral process. These include digital training for ad hoc election officials, combating election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and improving inclusion and gender-mainstreaming mechanisms.

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She stressed that credible elections could not be achieved by INEC alone, describing electoral integrity as a shared responsibility involving political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media, development partners and voters.

Gumus further reaffirmed INEC’s independence and neutrality, assuring that the Commission would conduct the 2027 elections professionally and in accordance with the law.

She said that under the leadership of Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, administrative decisions would be guided by existing legal provisions, while the deployment of technology would be geared towards improving transparency and credibility.

“The final outcome of the 2027 general election will reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate,” she said.

Speaking on the purpose of the AU delegation’s visit, Mekonnen described the mission as a supportive and consultative exercise rather than an intervention.

He said the team would review preparations already undertaken by INEC, identify potential gaps and risks, and examine areas where the African Union could provide technical assistance.

According to him, the mission would consult INEC and other major stakeholders on issues including voter registration and the integrity of the voters’ register, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and the management of election results.

Mekonnen reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to working with Nigeria to strengthen democratic governance and promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections across the continent.