NEWS
INEC Suspends Annual Leave, Increases Salaries And Allowances Ahead Of 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended further annual leave for its staff and approved an increase in salaries and allowances as part of intensified efforts to strengthen its institutional capacity and ensure effective preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the measures during a meeting with staff of the commission in Lokoja, Kogi State, signalling the electoral body’s determination to step up preparations for the crucial nationwide elections.
The suspension of further annual leave is expected to ensure that the commission has sufficient manpower available to handle the increasing workload associated with preparations for the 2027 electoral exercise.
The salary and allowance increase, meanwhile, is part of efforts to improve staff welfare, boost morale and motivate personnel as the commission embarks on the demanding responsibilities of organising another general election.
The latest decisions come amid growing political activities and heightened attention on the preparedness of INEC to conduct credible, transparent and peaceful elections in 2027.
Beyond its internal preparations, the electoral body has also found itself at the centre of controversies surrounding the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
INEC recently distanced itself from a publication circulating on social media which claimed that the commission had reaffirmed the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the opposition party.
The publication, which carried INEC’s official logo alongside the photograph of its National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, was dismissed as unauthorised.
In a statement published on its verified social media platforms on Friday, the commission urged Nigerians to disregard the publication, maintaining that it had not issued any statement reaffirming the leadership of the Mark-led faction.
The commission further advised members of the public to rely exclusively on its official and verified communication channels for accurate information regarding its activities and decisions.
The clarification followed a controversial judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC and invalidated actions taken by the party’s executives.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment, also raised significant questions about the validity of the party’s nomination process, including the process that reportedly produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The court held that the Mark-led caretaker committee lacked the legal authority to take control of the party and organise its activities, including the process of selecting candidates for elective positions.
The legal battle was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, who approached the court arguing that he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
The judgment has since triggered reactions from the Mark-led faction, which described the court’s decision as an attempt to undermine opposition parties and weaken the democratic space ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With political realignments gathering momentum, internal party disputes intensifying and preparations for the next general elections gaining urgency, INEC’s latest measures underscore the enormous responsibilities facing the electoral commission.
The suspension of further annual leave and improvement in staff remuneration also highlight the commission’s efforts to strengthen its workforce ahead of what is expected to be a highly consequential electoral contest in Nigeria’s political history.