Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has proposed a structured collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen electoral governance at the state and local government levels. The proposal was presented during a courtesy visit by a FOSIECON delegation to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, in Abuja, which coincided with the Commission’s high-level meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to review recent elections on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. This was contained in the INEC Daily Bulletin, Volume 2, Number 435 of February 25, 2026.
Leading the delegation, the National Chairman of FOSIECON, Mamman Nda Eri, said the visit formed part of the Forum’s broader effort to deepen institutional development, peer learning, and engagement with national and international partners. He highlighted that FOSIECON’s recent capacity building and observation engagements during the FCT Area Council election were supported by the European Union (EU), the Supporting Democratic Governance in Nigeria (SDGN) programme, and DAI Global.
During the visit, the Forum requested collaboration with INEC in five key areas: capacity building and technical support through joint training programmes and mentorship for SIEC officials; technology and innovation sharing to adapt digital tools such as BVAS and IReV within state electoral frameworks; policy dialogue and electoral reform to contribute to national discussions on electoral standards and legal reforms; joint voter education initiatives to deepen grassroots democratic participation; and research, data, and knowledge exchange to promote evidence-based reforms across the electoral ecosystem.
Prof. Amupitan welcomed the delegation, commending FOSIECON for its commitment to strengthening subnational electoral institutions. He acknowledged the distinct constitutional mandates of INEC and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) but stressed that cooperation, peer learning, and exchange of best practices remain essential for improving the credibility of elections at all levels.
The INEC Chairman assured the Forum that the Commission is open to knowledge sharing, technical engagement, and structured dialogue, particularly in areas of training, technology deployment, and voter education strategies. He also called for a moment of silence to honour the late Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Bauchi State, Alhaji Ahmed Makama, in recognition of his contributions to electoral administration and democratic development.
Prof. Amupitan reiterated that structured collaboration and continuous capacity building are central to ensuring that elections at all levels in Nigeria remain credible, transparent, and inclusive.
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