The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a training-of-trainers programme for state coordinating supervisors of the Electoral Operations Support Centre (EOSC) ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Commission said the training is aimed at improving the speed, accuracy and effectiveness of electoral incident reporting and response during the elections.
INEC disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, explaining that the programme was organised by its Electoral Operations Department to equip state coordinating supervisors with the knowledge and skills needed to coordinate EOSC activities and train other personnel at the state level.
Speaking at the training, the Deputy Director, Operations, Jibril Mohammed, who represented the Director of Electoral Operations, Isa Magaji, said the programme was designed to build a competent team capable of providing timely and reliable operational support across the country.
Mohammed described the EOSC as an important platform for monitoring developments during electoral operations and ensuring that emerging challenges are quickly escalated to the appropriate authorities.
He said reports received through the centre could involve electoral personnel, materials, processes or voters, making accurate information and prompt intervention essential.
“Every report represents a situation affecting people,” Mohammed said, urging supervisors to provide clear guidance and exercise sound judgement while coordinating their teams.
He also charged participants to ensure that knowledge acquired during the training is effectively transferred to personnel in their respective states.
“The success of this training will ultimately be measured by how confidently and effectively the personnel trained by you perform their responsibilities during the elections,” he said.
Mohammed urged participants to actively participate in the sessions, ask questions and share their experiences, noting that resolving uncertainties ahead of the elections would help minimise operational challenges.
According to him, the training will strengthen participants’ understanding of EOSC responsibilities, reporting procedures, information verification, incident escalation and follow-up processes.
He stressed that operational reports must be accurate and timely, adding that every report should clearly state what happened, where and when it occurred, the action already taken and the current status of the incident.
The INEC official also urged supervisors to maintain professionalism and empathy when dealing with field officers, particularly those working under pressure.
He said effective communication and the manner in which information is received could influence both the quality of information available to the Commission and the level of support provided to personnel in the field.
Mohammed further called on facilitators to make the sessions practical and interactive by exposing participants to real-life situations they could encounter during the 2027 elections.
He commended the facilitators, organisers, sponsors and partners for supporting the programme and urged participants to make effective use of the knowledge and resources invested in the training.
The initiative is part of INEC’s broader preparations to strengthen electoral operations, improve incident management and enhance its response to emerging challenges ahead of the 2027 General Election.
