We can no longer afford fragmented interpretations of administrative duties or disjointed operational practices from state to state.
By Mmesoma Onwuka
365Daily – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a major effort to strengthen its state level operational structure ahead of the 2027 general election, directing administrative secretaries in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to close administrative gaps, improve coordination and adopt uniform operational procedures.
INEC chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, gave the directive on Monday, September 7, 2026, in Lagos while declaring open a two day Strategic Operational Workshop for Administrative Secretaries.
Amupitan described the workshop as a specialised, election focused “operational boot camp” aimed at testing the Commission’s level of preparedness for the 2027 elections.
He said INEC had reached a crucial stage in its preparations and could no longer accommodate varying interpretations of administrative responsibilities or inconsistent operational practices across its state offices.
“We can no longer afford fragmented interpretations of administrative duties or disjointed operational practices from state to state,” the chairman said, explaining that the workshop was designed to eliminate guesswork and ensure that administrative secretaries operate within standardised national protocols.
The commission’s latest approach is also informed by lessons from recent off cycle elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, which INEC intends to translate into operational standards for the much larger and more complex 2027 general election.
According to Amupitan, recent electoral exercises demonstrated that effective logistics, functional technology and administrative discipline can contribute significantly to transparent and credible elections.
He however, noted that the relatively controlled environment of a single state election differs considerably from a nationwide general election, making it necessary for successful operational models to be replicated across the 36 states and the FCT.
The chairman identified the Administrative Secretary as the principal technical, operational and administrative anchor of INEC at the state level.
Amupitan said the workshop would examine INEC’s procedures across five major operational areas, namely the continuous voter registration and permanent voter’s card distribution, with state level strategies expected to contribute to a clean voter register and facilitate efficient PVC collection as the national register approaches 100 million voters.
The second area is logistics and election material management, covering the receipt, auditing, secure storage, deployment and reverse logistics of sensitive and non sensitive election materials, while the third is electoral technology, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), eEC&A, Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC), CROMS, IOMIS and PFRAS.
Fourth focuses on human resource and ad hoc staff optimisation, particularly the recruitment, vetting and technology competency training of election personnel and the fifth area is general administration and financial compliance, covering administrative discipline, workflow automation and compliance with procurement and financial regulations.
While Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) serve as the political and institutional heads of the commission in the states, Amupitan said Administrative Secretaries oversee the day to day running of state offices, ensure administrative continuity and manage operational processes that can determine whether polling units commence activities as scheduled.
Earlier the REC for Lagos State, Prof. Ayobami Salami, urged participants to use the workshop to examine existing procedures, identify institutional weaknesses and develop practical solutions ahead of the 2027 election.
Welcoming the INEC Chairman and other participants, Salami said the workshop demonstrated the commission’s commitment to improving the capacity and operational preparedness of administrative secretaries.
He noted that their ability to coordinate personnel, resources, logistics, finance, infrastructure and administrative procedures would have a direct impact on the success of electoral operations.
Salami encouraged participants to share their experiences and challenges from the field and work collectively towards solutions that could strengthen operations in their respective states.
He also called for closer coordination between administrative and technical functions, greater accountability and stronger systems capable of adapting to emerging operational demands.
His remarks aligned with the Chairman’s central message that preparations for the 2027 election must be built around institutional readiness rather than emergency responses.
One of the major innovations announced at the workshop is the proposed Administrative Secretary Master Operational Tracker.
The Chairman said the standardised Excel based system would be connected to the Commission’s EMSC dashboard and Election Project Plan, allowing the Headquarters, RECs and Supervising National Commissioners to obtain a real time assessment of preparedness across the states.
The tracker is expected to monitor areas including the distribution of election materials, training of ad hoc personnel and state level readiness.
According to Amupitan, the system is intended to replace reactive “panic” with proactive management while also serving as a permanent onboarding framework for future groups of Administrative Secretaries beyond the 2027 elections.
The INEC Chairman also used the workshop to emphasise the leadership responsibilities of Administrative Secretaries, warning that the quality of electoral administration at the state level would depend significantly on the institutional culture established within their offices.
“If you tolerate shortcuts, shortcuts will multiply. If you tolerate political interference, neutrality will deteriorate,” he said.
He urged the officials to promote documentation, punctuality, preparedness and compliance as core elements of their administrative culture.
Amupitan further advised them to report operational problems rather than conceal them, stressing that early escalation would give the Commission an opportunity to address challenges before they develop into electoral crises.
The Secretary to the Commission, Dr Rose Oriaran Anthony, had earlier highlighted the need to improve the working relationship between Administrative Secretaries and Resident Electoral Commissioners.
She disclosed that complaints about strained relationships between the two levels of leadership had continued to reach her, warning that such disagreements could negatively affect the Commission’s operations.
“We will not allow that to continue because where we do not have harmony, the Commission’s work will suffer,” she said.
Oriaran Anthony urged them to openly discuss challenges affecting their responsibilities, describing the workshop as a family gathering where difficult institutional matters could be honestly examined and collectively resolved.
She said the workshop would also consider lessons from the 2023 General Election, state level financial management, logistics, assets, ad hoc personnel, staff discipline, supervision, as well as the management of INEC’s image and reputation.