By ebosele@hotmail.com
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has enlisted the support of key transport and maritime stakeholders, including the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, to strengthen logistics operations ahead of the 2027 General Election.
City Business News reports that the stakeholders were among representatives of government agencies, transport unions and security organisations who attended the inauguration of INEC’s Electoral Logistics Committee (ELOC) on Thursday in Abuja.
The committee, inaugurated by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, is expected to develop strategies for the seamless movement of electoral personnel and materials across the country, including difficult terrains and riverine communities.
The involvement of the NURTW, NPA and Maritime Workers Union underscores the importance of road and maritime transportation in ensuring the timely delivery of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials to polling locations nationwide.
Amupitan said the Commission adopted a multi-agency approach because of the complexities involved in transporting election materials across Nigeria’s diverse geographical terrain.
He noted that election logistics remained one of the most critical and challenging aspects of the electoral process, stressing that the credibility of an election depended partly on whether voters found their polling units open, equipped and ready at the appointed time.
“Election logistics involve the intricate movement of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials by land, sea and air. It requires precision, security and timeliness. This is why we are starting early,” he said.
The INEC chairman explained that the committee would assess the Commission’s logistics requirements and develop a comprehensive plan for the storage, distribution, deployment and retrieval of election materials.
It would also audit the readiness of warehouses, vehicles and transport hubs, including airports and seaports, identify operational gaps and recommend corrective measures.
Other responsibilities include coordinating with government agencies and transport unions, monitoring compliance with approved logistics schedules, and developing strategies to address transportation bottlenecks, shortages and security threats.
Amupitan said Nigeria’s geographical diversity, ranging from the creeks of the Niger Delta to the arid plains of the North, required a flexible and resilient logistics framework.
“We must anticipate the weather, the terrain and the security environment to ensure that no Nigerian is disenfranchised due to late arrival of materials,” he said.
He described the 2027 General Election as “a marathon, not a sprint,” adding that the early inauguration of the committee was intended to lay the foundation for a transparent, efficient and credible electoral process.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, its chairperson, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (rtd), said INEC had established inter-agency bodies over the years to manage complex operational assignments and election logistics.
She said the committee would review previous electoral exercises and develop a strategic plan to ensure the seamless deployment of logistics equipment while addressing systemic weaknesses.
According to her, the committee would focus on airlift and cargo planning, storage facilities, vehicle fleets, aircraft availability and cargo-handling capacity to prevent delays in the distribution of electoral materials.
Malafa added that the committee would coordinate the movement of personnel and materials down to the local government areas, including marine and riverine communities.
She said it would also develop an operational security framework involving transport unions, security agencies and INEC state offices.
The committee would further identify difficult terrains, security-challenged areas and crisis-prone locations, with tailored transportation and security arrangements for each.
Malafa disclosed that ad hoc subcommittees could be established to handle airlift operations, land transportation, maritime transportation, storage and security.
She emphasised that the success of the assignment would depend on effective inter-agency cooperation, supported by clear material schedules and policy coordination from INEC.
“This national assignment demands speed, precision and coordination,” she said, urging members to approach the task with patriotic dedication and professional excellence.
The inauguration was attended by representatives of the Inspector-General of Police, Nigerian Correctional Service, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, NPA, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Nigeria Customs Service.
Also present were leaders of the NURTW, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
The logistics initiative comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election, with the Commission seeking to minimise operational delays and ensure that eligible voters across the country can exercise their franchise without being disadvantaged by transportation challenges.
