THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has described the bye-elections conducted in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states as important operational benchmarks in its preparations for the 2027 General Election.
Speaking on Saturday while personally presiding over operations at the Commission’s National Situation Room at its headquarters in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, stressed that no electoral contest should be regarded as trivial or routine.
News Point Nigeria reports that the Commission conducted four legislative bye-elections across the four states, including the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State, Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies in Bauchi State, and Udu State Constituency in Delta State.
In a statement signed by the CPS/Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, in Abuja on Saturday, September 19, 2026, Amupitan said every off-cycle election served as an important dress rehearsal for nationwide elections.
“These four bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 General Election,” the INEC Chairman said.
He added: “We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary bye-election. Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations for the 2027 General Election, allowing us to continuously audit our logistics framework, stress-test our technological deployment, and evaluate administrative field readiness.”
Amupitan, accompanied by National Commissioners and senior management officials, monitored the bye-elections from the National Situation Room as operational reports continued to arrive from the field.
He reassured Nigerians of the Commission’s resolve to uphold electoral integrity, noting that operational bottlenecks encountered before polling were swiftly identified and resolved.
“Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution,” the Chairman said.
“Whatever administrative or field challenges arose in before the day of the elections, the Commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively. We remain committed to refining our processes so that every subsequent exercise reflects higher standards of efficiency and public confidence.”
The INEC Chairman also thanked everyone present in the Situation Room, particularly the technical team, for ensuring that the Commission monitored the multi-state exercise seamlessly and assessed field performance without any hitch.
INEC’s official election schedule lists the four bye-elections as having been conducted on September 19, 2026, while the Presidential and National Assembly elections for the 2027 General Election are scheduled for January 16, 2027, followed by the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027.
