Questions over redeployment of INEC directors

Recent reports have raised questions about the possible redeployment of key INEC directors ahead of the 2027 general elections. Our correspondent confirmed that the director of the Electoral Operations Department, Isah Magaji Gummi, has been reassigned to the Voter Registry Department. Meanwhile, Mrs Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi, who previously served as the Administrative Secretary for INEC's Lagos office, has been moved to head the Electoral Operations Department.

Efforts to obtain an official statement from INEC were unsuccessful as calls and messages to the commission's Deputy Director of Publicity and National Commissioner in charge of Information, Sam Olugbadebo, went unanswered. Some speculate that the recent reassignments may result in key departments being led by individuals from the same ethnic background.

A top INEC official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that such postings are routine and done in phases, including at the local government level. They emphasized that while some people may draw conclusions from these moves, they are indeed standard administrative decisions. The reports have garnered attention because the Electoral Operations Department plays a crucial role in coordinating logistics and other essential activities for the elections.

According to INEC's manual, this department is responsible for planning and organizing electoral activities, including distributing election materials, supervising polling units, and ensuring compliance with electoral procedures across the country. The proposed changes to the department's leadership have therefore sparked concerns regarding the rationale behind these moves and the principles guiding such decisions, if proven accurate.

Paul Ibe, a spokesman for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, added to the controversy by urging INEC Chairperson, Prof Joash Amupitan, to address the concerns raised by the redeployment. Ibe alleged that the move indicates an overrepresentation of South-West geopolitical zone officials in key positions at INEC's headquarters.

He questioned whether these appointments comply with the federal principle of representation and called for transparency in explaining this perceived imbalance. The African Democratic Congress had previously accused INEC of engaging in ethnically motivated personnel postings ahead of the 2027 general elections, demanding clarification on allegations that recent appointments and deployments within the commission were driven by sectional interests to favor officials from President Bola Tinubu's South-West geopolitical zone.