Tinubu Nominates New INEC Commissioners Ahead of 2027 Elections

President Bola Tinubu has nominated six officials to fill vacancies at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to Politics Nigeria, the nominees comprise four national commissioners and two resident electoral commissioners (RECs). Their nominations were announced on Friday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

They are expected to undergo Senate screening and confirmation.

Tinubu has also reappointed Dr Bala Bila as the national commissioner representing the North-East.

Among the newly nominated national commissioners is Professor Mustapha Aliu, who is expected to replace Professor Abdullahi Zuru as the representative of the North-West. Bashir Muhammed Umar has also been nominated to replace Professor Muhammad Adamu as the national commissioner representing the North-Central.

For the South-West, the President nominated Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola, the current resident electoral commissioner in Osun State, to replace Professor Cornelius Ajayi, whose tenure is due to expire on October 24, 2026.

The two nominees for resident electoral commissioner positions are Dr Samuel Akinjide Akinleye, a retired permanent secretary nominated to represent Ekiti State, and Zahradden Basiru Sanusi from Jigawa State, who is expected to replace Professor Saidu Ahmed Babura.

Tinubu has urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process ahead of the forthcoming general elections, which the statement said are scheduled for January next year.

The nominations come as INEC prepares for the next electoral cycle, with the commission expected to oversee elections across the country.

Meanwhile, Tinubu has directed the women’s mobilisation directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council to intensify grassroots engagement as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.

The President gave the directive during the inauguration of the campaign council in Abuja, where he charged the Director of Women Mobilisation, Dr Betta Edu, other members of the directorate and party leaders to strengthen efforts to mobilise support for the APC.

Tinubu praised Nigerian women for their contributions to the country’s political development and the party’s electoral successes, describing them as indispensable to the APC’s re-election bid.

He cited their numerical strength, organisational abilities and influence within families and communities, saying, “Women are the greatest mobilizers.”

The President urged Edu and her team to translate women’s support into a coordinated nationwide campaign aimed at securing victory for the party in 2027.

The women’s mobilisation directorate has set a target of securing 40 million votes from women for the Tinubu-Shettima ticket. Its mobilisation strategy covers 176,846 communities and political structures across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The campaign also plans to strengthen ward-level organisation, household engagement, community outreach and polling-unit mobilisation to reach voters beyond major political rallies.

As part of the preparations, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has participated in activities aimed at engaging and empowering women. At a pre-inaugural Women’s Summit and Empowerment Programme held in Abuja on October 5, women stakeholders from across the country gathered for an event that included the distribution of livelihood-support items, such as motorbikes and farm trucks, to beneficiaries.

Edu has also urged APC women to maintain unity, discipline and sustained engagement with voters as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.