The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced a training programme for state coordinating supervisors of its Electoral Operations Support Centre ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission said the training is aimed at improving the speed, accuracy and effectiveness of electoral incident reporting during the elections.
The programme, organised by INEC’s Electoral Operations Department, is also expected to equip the supervisors with the skills to coordinate EOSC activities and train personnel who will provide operational support at the state level.
Speaking at the training, Deputy Director of Operations, Jibril Mohammed, who represented the Director of Electoral Operations, Isa Magaji, said the initiative would help the commission respond more effectively to issues arising from the field.
Mohammed described the EOSC as a key platform for monitoring electoral developments and ensuring that emerging challenges are quickly brought to the attention of relevant authorities.
He said, “Every report represents a situation affecting people,” noting that reports received through calls or the dashboard could concern electoral officials, materials, processes or voters in need of intervention.
The INEC official urged the supervisors to exercise sound judgement and provide clear guidance while coordinating their teams.
He also stressed the need for the participants to ensure that knowledge acquired during the training was effectively passed on to personnel in their respective states.
According to him, the effectiveness of the programme would ultimately depend on how well the personnel trained by the supervisors perform their duties during the elections.
Mohammed said participants would be expected to develop a better understanding of reporting procedures, information verification, incident escalation and follow-up processes.
He further emphasised the importance of accurate and timely reporting, saying every effective incident report should clearly indicate what happened, where and when it occurred, the action already taken and the current status of the matter.
The deputy director also called for professionalism and empathy in dealing with field officers, particularly those working under pressure.
He said, “The quality of communication and the manner in which information is received could affect both the quality of information available to the Commission and the support provided to personnel in the field.”
Mohammed urged the facilitators to make the sessions practical and interactive by using real-life scenarios that supervisors could encounter during the 2027 elections.
INEC said the training is part of its broader preparations to strengthen electoral operations, improve incident management and ensure timely responses to challenges that may arise during the 2027 general elections.
