State Electoral Umpires Visit INEC, Seek Guidance, Collaboration
Oru Leonard
The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON), on Wednesday, engaged Nigeria’s premier electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), congratulating its Chairman on his appointment and commending the Commission’s integrity, reforms, and technological innovations.
While highlighting its role in strengthening state electoral commissions, FOSECOM requested INEC’s support for its formal registration.
The forum which acknowledged INEC’s partnerships with the European Union and development programs that enhanced institutional capacity and reform efforts, proposed structured collaboration with INEC in capacity building, technology sharing, policy dialogue, voter education, and research.
Emphasizing cooperation despite distinct mandates, FOSECOM reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and deepening democratic governance across Nigeria.
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.
