The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Federal Government to urgently release its outstanding budgetary allocations to enable it sustain preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the appeal yesterday at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting, warning that timely funding remained critical to the successful implementation of the commission’s electoral plans.
Amupitan said funds already released had enabled the commission to meet obligations to international vendors, finance the production of critical election technology, upgrade infrastructure and sustain multi-stakeholder operations across the country.
He, however, stressed that the release of the outstanding funds was necessary to prevent disruptions and maintain the pace of preparations.
“However, we expect the prompt release of the remaining budgets to ensure seamless execution of the activities,” he said.
According to him, financial preparedness was a critical component of the electoral process, given the scale and complexity of the 2027 general elections.
“Executing a national election of this magnitude requires robust financial backing and fiscal discipline,” Amupitan said.
He explained that INEC was operating within a framework of transparent fiscal management, with statutory budgetary allocations supporting its ongoing preparations.
The funding concern comes as the commission intensifies preparations for the 2027 polls, with INEC disclosing that it has completed nine of the 14 critical statutory milestones contained in its revised timetable issued on February 26, 2026.
Amupitan said the timetable had been translated into an operational execution plan covering the commission’s headquarters departments and directorates, its 36 state offices, the Federal Capital Territory and all 774 local government areas. He noted that adequate funding was particularly important for sustaining election technology, logistics and other operational requirements across the country.
The INEC chairman also identified logistics, election materials and security as critical components of credible and efficient election delivery.
“Sensitive materials and agile logistic infrastructure and precision-driven intelligence-led security arrangement are the non-negotiable foundation for seamless election delivery nationwide,” he said.
With preparations already underway across the country, the commission’s appeal places renewed emphasis on the need for timely financial releases to ensure that funding gaps do not undermine the implementation of the 2027 electoral timetable.