By Divine Sam

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced significant progress in preparations for the 2027 general election, disclosing that the production of non-sensitive election materials is nearing completion.

The Acting INEC Chairman, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during a benchmarking meeting with a delegation from Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Gumus said some of the materials had already been transported to designated zones ahead of the polls, while other preparations were at an advanced stage.

“The commission has nearly completed preparations for the non-sensitive materials, with some already transported to designated zones ahead of the elections,” she said.

She disclosed that INEC had completed nine activities on its election timetable and was preparing to move to the next phase of the process.

The acting chairman also confirmed that the production of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) had been completed, with the first and second batches distributed to most states. She noted that the collection of the cards was still ongoing.

According to her, the commission is also strengthening the capacity of its personnel at both national and state levels, while procurement and deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices are underway.

Gumus further revealed that INEC had conducted visits to all six geopolitical zones to evaluate its level of preparedness and identify areas requiring further attention before the elections.

“We have visited all six geopolitical zones to assess our level of preparedness and identify areas that need attention ahead of the elections. However, Nigerians living abroad will not be able to vote in 2027 because the existing electoral law does not make provision for diaspora voting,” she said.

She explained that allowing Nigerians in the diaspora to participate in future elections would require an amendment to the existing electoral law to provide the necessary legal framework.