INEC Criticized for FCT Elections, Trust in 2027 Polls Doubtful

Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights activist and lawyer, expressed strong criticism of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding its performance in the recent area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. He stated that INEC "failed woefully" and cannot be trusted to conduct credible elections in 2027.

Odinkalu's remarks were made during an interview on Monday, where he assessed the conduct of the elections and highlighted significant shortcomings, including logistical issues and the reassignment of voters to different polling units without adequate notice, which he argued disenfranchised eligible voters. He emphasized that the INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, lacks the necessary experience, referencing previous elections he supervised, such as the Anambra state governorship election.

Odinkalu called for reforms within INEC, asserting that Nigerians expect a commitment to credible electoral processes and that the commission must learn from its failures to avoid repeating past mistakes.