Accredited Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt tougher measures against vote buying and strengthen electoral technology ahead of the 2027 general elections.
 
The groups, operating under the coordination of the Civil Society Organisations on Community Advancement and Humanitarian Empowerment Initiative (CSCHEI), made the call during a press briefing in Abuja yesterday.
 
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, the Director-General of CSCHEI and National Project Convener, Kunle Yusuff, said the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend largely on transparency, accountability, and timely reforms by the electoral commission.
 
He urged INEC to carry out early audits and stress tests on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
 
According to him, the commission should strengthen electoral technology and transparency by conducting “early audits and stress-tests of IReV and BVAS/BVAR, publishing results of mock tests, and establishing fallback protocols for real-time transmission.”
 
Yusuff also called on INEC to release a “clean and auditable voter register” at least 90 days before the election.
 
The coalition expressed concern over the rising menace of vote buying and electoral violence, urging stronger collaboration between INEC, security agencies, and anti-corruption bodies to curb electoral malpractice.
 
“Deploy joint INEC-security-CSO task forces in flashpoint local government areas 30 days before the election. Work with EFCC, ICPC, and CBN to monitor suspicious campaign financing and enforce the ban on unauthorised party agents near polling units,” he said.
 
The groups further advocated reforms in the recruitment and training of ad hoc election personnel. According to Yusuff, INEC should introduce a merit-based recruitment portal, conduct scenario-based training for ad hoc staff, and ensure prompt payment of allowances to improve efficiency during elections.
 
On inclusiveness, the coalition urged the commission to expand access to polling units for persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons (IDPs), while also piloting diaspora voting in five countries.
 
The CSOs also recommended stronger collaboration with community-based organisations to deepen voter education in local languages ahead of the elections.