The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged electoral officers in Edo to strengthen risk management and preparedness ahead of the 2027 general elections to prevent operational errors and security breaches.
Mr Obo Effanga, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo, gave the advice on Thursday at a sensitisation workshop on Electoral Risk Management (ERM) in Benin.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised for electoral officers from local government areas and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in the state.
Effanga said every election presented unique challenges, requiring officials to plan carefully and remain alert to potential risks.
“If you think all the elections you’ve done in the past meant you are an expert in it, please look at this next election as very important, more important than all the other elections you have carried out,” he said.
He cited an incident during an off-cycle election in which more than 30 people reportedly voted at a polling unit but the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failed to record any accreditation.
According to him, the error was discovered at the ward collation centre, putting the polling-unit result at risk of cancellation.
The REC said the official involved, in spite having studied computer science and received training, failed to alert a supervisor when the problem occurred.
“The public is not interested in excuses. They are interested in results,” he said, urging officials to report technical difficulties promptly.
Effanga also said INEC is investigating concerns over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and repeated images in the preliminary online voters’ register.
He explained that such images alone would not enable anyone to vote, as voters must appear physically for accreditation and identity verification.
The REC stressed that effective risk management required officials to anticipate possible failures and make contingency plans, including providing backup equipment.
He cited INEC’s provision of backup BVAS devices as an example.
He also recalled the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election as a reminder of the far-reaching consequences electoral failures could have.
In her remarks, Mrs Emotimi Nicky-Cleopas, INEC Administrative Secretary in Edo, recounted an attack during the 2023 governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers, in which a young man was killed at a polling unit.
She said attackers reportedly arrived by speedboat and opened fire on several polling units in sparsely populated communities, in spite of prior identification of flashpoints and notification of security agencies.
Describing the incident as traumatic, Nicky-Cleopas urged electoral officers to report threats immediately and maintain close contact with security agencies.
“Please be proactive. Don’t hide anything. If you see a threat, hear a threat, please report it immediately,” she said.
She also urged officers to prepare alternative arrangements for transportation, electoral materials and equipment.
He added that election security required the cooperation of INEC, security agencies, political actors and other stakeholders.
In her presentation on the workshop’s objectives, Mrs Magret Okon, Head of Planning and Monitoring at INEC in Edo, said the workshop aimed to improve participants’ understanding of electoral risk management, identify risks peculiar to local government areas and strengthen early-warning and response mechanisms.
She added that improved information-sharing among electoral officials, security agencies and other stakeholders would support evidence-based planning for the 2027 elections.
In a goodwill message, Mr Garba Richard of the National Orientation Agency in Edo commended INEC for organising the workshop, describing risk management as essential to preventing electoral disruptions and promoting peaceful elections.
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