2027: INEC’s major challenge is procurement transparency, not funding – PLAC

The Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) has identified transparency in the management of funds and procurement of election materials as a major challenge for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Clement Nwankwo, director of PLAC, said this on Wednesday while speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, a day after INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan briefed Nigerians on the commission’s preparations for the elections.

INEC’s official election calendar currently lists 16 January 2027 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and 6 February 2027 for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

Mr Nwankwo said that while adequate funding is important for the conduct of elections, Nigerians should also be able to scrutinise how INEC spends the funds allocated to it.

“We also want to see transparency in management of funds. We want to see transparency in procurement of materials for elections; who is the vendor making the supplies? Are they partisan?” he said.

“Is it in fact the commission that is making these procurements, or are there people outside of the commission that are making these procurements for the commission?”

He said INEC should disclose the vendors supplying election materials and ensure that political parties, as key stakeholders, have sufficient information about the procurement process.

According to Mr Nwankwo, transparency is particularly important for sensitive election materials because of their potential impact on the integrity of the electoral process.

Concerns over campaign spending

Mr Nwankwo also raised concerns about the enforcement of campaign spending limits under the Electoral Act 2026.

He said although the law sets spending limits for candidates, INEC has a responsibility to issue guidelines and monitor compliance.

Under section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026, presidential candidates are subject to a maximum campaign expenditure limit of N10 billion, while candidates for governor are subject to a N3 billion limit.

Mr Nwankwo said INEC should have mechanisms for monitoring campaign spending, including expenditure on billboards, television and radio advertising, to determine whether candidates are exceeding the limits.

He said candidates and political parties are required to submit expenditure reports and could face sanctions where they violate the law.

Mr Nwankwo also criticised the absence of an Electoral Offences Commission, which would strengthen enforcement of electoral laws.

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“I know that the Electoral Reform Commission, headed by the renowned Justice Mohammed Uwais, had made recommendations on creating an Electoral Offences Commission, and this was supposed to be for offences or issues within its purview and powers,” he said.

“That commission is still to be set up. The National Assembly has had debates twice in two sessions about setting up the Electoral Offences Commission. This has not happened.”

In January, the Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) had also called for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission as part of its recommendations for electoral reform ahead of the 2027 elections.