2027: INEC plans voting centres for IDPs in nine Plateau LGs

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it is making plans to establish voting centres for internally displaced persons in nine local government areas of Plateau State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Plateau State, Prof. Samuel Egwu, disclosed this on Wednesday during a meeting with political party leaders and stakeholders at the commission’s headquarters in Jos, the state capital.

Egwu said the move was in fulfilment of Nigeria’s obligation under the Kampala Declaration on Internally Displaced Persons, which guarantees the right of displaced citizens to participate in elections.

“We don’t even know what will happen next week, but by the facts that we know now, we may have to prepare for IDP voting in nine local governments out of 17. This will happen in Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South, Mangu, Kanam, Kanke, Wase and Bokkos,” he said.

The REC explained that where security challenges prevent voters from returning to their communities, INEC would set up voting arrangements in their places of displacement.

He, however, noted that such votes would still be computed as part of their original wards and constituencies.

“Nigeria is a signatory to the Kampala Declaration on internally displaced persons, and that means we signed as a country to do everything possible for everybody, including people displaced from their original homes, to vote during election,” Prof. Egwu stated.

“Their votes will still be taken to be counted as part of their wards for their taking part in choosing their local leaders in 2027,” he added.

He called on political parties to collaborate with the commission in identifying and tracking displaced members for proper documentation.

“We need to partner with you to identify and to promptly report where your supporters are likely to be displaced, so that we can document them for the purpose of IDP voting. It will be costly, but we have to do it because it is part and parcel of the democracy struggle to ensure that those people are capable of voting on election day,” he said.

Egwu expressed optimism that peace would return to the affected areas before the elections.

“Our prayer is that maybe normalcy will return and people can return to their original abode. But should that not happen, they will have the chance to be able to vote,” he said.

The REC described the meeting as part of ongoing engagements with stakeholders, with 129 days to the 2027 elections.

“This is a very timely meeting, and there will be many more between now and the election. What we do as an election management body is to provide electoral information and to continue to update you as things change or don’t change,” he said.

“There is no way we can conduct Election in 2027 without talking first and foremost to political parties, because democracy is party politics*,” he added.

He also explained that civil society organisations were included in the meeting because “they are our natural allies because this is a business about democracy. Civil society represents citizens. They do advocacy not about their interest, but about what will improve democracy.”

On other electoral timelines, Prof. Egwu said INEC would publish the final list of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections on September 12, 2026, while that of the governorship and State Assembly elections would be published on October 10, 2026.

He further disclosed that 121,821 new voters were registered in Plateau during the last Continuous Voter Registration exercise, with females accounting for 65,928. The commission also recorded 38,399 transfer requests and has about 95,000 uncollected Permanent Voter Cards from previous cycles.

The REC urged political actors to conduct their campaigns with decorum, warning against acts that could undermine the credibility of the process.