By Michael Oche
Delays in the release of funds for the 2027 general elections could undermine critical procurement, logistics and operational preparations required for the conduct of the polls, raising concerns about the country’s electoral readiness.
The concern was highlighted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which said the late disbursement of election funds could hamper key activities needed ahead of the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assembly elections.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, raised the issue during a fireside chat organised by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) in partnership with legis360 in Abuja.
The session focused on lessons from the recently concluded Ekiti State governorship election and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Haruna said the commission was yet to receive funds for the elections despite the extensive preparations required for an exercise of such magnitude.
“As far as I know, we haven’t received the money yet,” he said.
According to him, although the Electoral Act 2026 stipulates that election funds should be released not later than six months before a general election, the timeframe remains inadequate for a process as complex as Nigeria’s.
“Even six months is really, really very tight. These logistics are not available off the shelf. If you are going to buy ballot boxes, they have to be manufactured. Voting cubicles, ballot papers themselves and so forth all take time,” Haruna said.
He noted that not all the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines deployed during previous elections were recovered, making replacement and fresh procurement necessary ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Haruna explained that delays in funding could affect the acquisition of election materials, deployment of technology, personnel training and other critical aspects of election administration.
He also revealed that INEC was considering conducting mock presidential election exercises before the 2027 polls as part of efforts to prevent a recurrence of the technical glitches that affected the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal during the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, the commission had drawn lessons from the experience and was determined to strengthen its systems before the next general election.
“We are making sure that this thing doesn’t happen again. There will be mock exercises. There may even be more than one mock exercise for the presidential election. The commission has not taken a final decision on that yet, but definitely there will be tests,” he said.
Haruna also identified conflicting court orders and last-minute judicial decisions as significant challenges confronting election administration.
He disclosed that the commission would soon engage the judiciary, beginning with the Supreme Court, on concerns over rulings that often compel INEC to alter election arrangements at short notice.
“We have scheduled meetings with the judiciary beginning with the Supreme Court because some of these concerns need to be addressed,” he said.
According to him, court orders requiring the inclusion of political parties or candidates close to election dates often force the commission to reconfigure systems, reprint materials and revise logistics plans.
Haruna stressed that election management requires certainty and sufficient planning time, noting that some judicial interventions carry major operational implications.
Also speaking, Executive Director of PAACA, Ezenwa Nwagwu, warned that delayed release of election funds could create avoidable crises capable of undermining electoral integrity.
According to him, late funding often encourages emergency decision-making and weakens compliance with established procedures.
“Politicians always like to create emergencies because once you create emergencies, corruption moves closer.
“When institutions are forced to work under pressure, people begin to say ‘just go ahead’. Once that happens, rules can be bypassed and that is dangerous,” Nwagwu said.
He argued that election preparation should not be viewed solely as INEC’s responsibility, insisting that political actors also bear responsibility for creating conditions necessary for credible elections.
