By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has set up a multi-agency committee to audit the readiness of warehouses, vehicles and transport hubs, including airports and seaports, ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Electoral Logistics Committee ELOC was inaugurated on Thursday at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja by the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN.
He tasked members to ensure that election materials reach every polling unit on time, adding that logistics remained “one of the most critical” pillars of the democratic process, “and often the most challenging.”
“Election logistics involve the intricate movement of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials by land, sea and air. It requires precision, security and timeliness. This is why we are starting early.
He announced Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (retd), a National Commissioner, as Chairperson of the committee, saying her distinguished career, combined with the specialised skills of members drawn from military and paramilitary bodies, would provide “the discipline and strategic oversight required for the task.”
The INEC chairman said the inclusion of security and logistics experts from various arms of service “underscores our resolve to treat election logistics as a matter of national priority.”
Under its terms of reference, the committee is to assess the total logistics requirement for the election and develop a comprehensive plan for the storage, distribution, deployment and retrieval of all election materials.
It is also to identify gaps at all levels and recommend corrective measures, monitor compliance with approved logistics plans and schedules, and formalise arrangements for the secure transport of materials by road, air and maritime channels.
The committee will also mitigate risks such as transportation bottlenecks, shortages and security threats, liaise with government agencies and transport unions, and submit periodic reports and recommendations to the Commission.
Amupitan said the Commission adopted a multi-agency approach because of the complexities of moving men and materials across Nigeria’s vast and varied terrain.
“We must anticipate the weather, the terrain and the security environment to ensure that no Nigerian is disenfranchised due to late arrival of materials,” he said.
He noted that the credibility of any election is ultimately judged by whether voters find their polling units open, equipped and ready at the appointed time.
Describing the 2027 General Election as “a marathon, not a sprint,” he said the inauguration of the committee was laying the foundation for a transparent, efficient and credible poll.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Malafa said the Commission had, over the years, established inter-agency bodies to handle complex operational tasks and election logistics in each electoral cycle.
“Managing election logistics is the operational bedrock of our democratic process, directly impacting electoral integrity and public confidence,” she said.
She said the committee’s core mandate was to drive a strategic plan, informed by a review of past elections, to ensure seamless deployment of logistics equipment and eliminate systemic and critical vulnerabilities.
According to her, the committee will map bottlenecks and inadequacies in storage facilities, vehicles, fleets, aircraft availability and cargo handling, in order to prevent deployment delays.
“This national assignment demands speed, precision and coordination,” Malafa said, urging members to approach the task “with patriotic dedication and professional excellence.
The inauguration was attended by the Representative of the Inspector General of Police, who is Commissioner of Police in Charge of Elections, Abayomi Shogunle, and representatives of the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Customs Service.
Leaders of the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria were also present.
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