Logistics Committee Work Ends After 2027 Polls

The Electoral Logistics Committee (ELOC) inaugurated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general election will conclude its assignment after the polls, as it is an ad-hoc committee set up specifically to coordinate election logistics.

A reliable source in the commission, who disclosed this to LEADERSHIP on Friday, said the committee was not a standing committee but was constituted to coordinate logistics for the 2027 general election.

“Their duration ends immediately after the election. They are coordinating the logistics for the election. It’s an ad-hoc committee, not a standing committee,” the source said.

The clarification comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 general election with the inauguration of the committee, chaired by Rear Admiral Jamila Sadiq Malafa, OFR, mni.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, inaugurated the committee at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, describing logistics as one of the most critical and challenging aspects of election administration.

He said the commission adopted a multi-agency approach to address the complexities of moving election personnel and materials across Nigeria’s diverse terrain.

According to Amupitan, the committee’s responsibilities include assessing INEC’s logistics requirements, developing a comprehensive plan for the procurement, storage, distribution, deployment and retrieval of election materials, and auditing the readiness of warehouses, vehicles and transport hubs.

Other terms of reference include identifying logistical gaps and recommending corrective measures, ensuring the timely delivery of materials nationwide, monitoring compliance with approved schedules and identifying potential risks such as transportation bottlenecks, shortages and security threats.

The committee is also expected to coordinate with INEC departments and state offices, formalise arrangements for transporting election materials by road, air and sea, and liaise with relevant government agencies and transport unions to facilitate their movement.

Amupitan charged members to develop a flexible and resilient logistics framework capable of addressing the country’s geographical and security challenges.

He warned that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised because of the late arrival of election materials, stressing that the credibility of an election depended partly on the readiness of polling units and the timely deployment of election materials.

“We must move away from the era of ‘logistics challenges’ and move into an era of ‘logistics precision’,” the INEC chairman said.

He expressed confidence that the early inauguration of the committee would help lay the foundation for a transparent, efficient and credible 2027 general election.