Kalu Blocks Call for INEC Chairman’s Plenary Briefing on 2027 Polls

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has opposed a proposal to invite the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, to brief lawmakers during plenary on preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Kalu stated his position on Wednesday while contributing to a motion sponsored by Minority Whip Mansur Soro and Deputy Minority Leader Abdulsamad Dasuki, which sought the appearance of the INEC chairman before the House.

The deputy speaker argued that such an invitation was unnecessary, noting that the electoral commission had already been providing updates to the public on its activities and preparations ahead of the elections.

He maintained that oversight of INEC should remain the responsibility of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, which was established to interface with the commission on behalf of lawmakers.

According to Kalu, summoning the INEC chairman before the entire House could place undue pressure on the commission, create unnecessary public concern and weaken confidence in the electoral process.

“I stand not in support of the prayer of this particular motion because supporting the prayer is belittling the mandate of the committee set up to carry out this function,” he said.

Questioning the need for a plenary appearance, Kalu noted that the INEC chairman had recently addressed the nation on the commission’s activities and had not indicated any major operational challenges.

“Inviting the chairman of INEC to come and brief the House when he just briefed the entire nation is not ideal. Don’t we believe in our committees again?” he asked.

The deputy speaker subsequently proposed an amendment directing that any engagement with INEC should be handled by the relevant House committee rather than through a plenary session. He further emphasised that the National Assembly should focus on supporting institutions responsible for deepening democracy, rather than subjecting them to inquiries that could be perceived as premature.

The amendment received support from Lagos lawmaker Babajimi Benson and was later adopted by the House through a voice vote conducted by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.

Following the adoption of the amendment, the matter was referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters, which is expected to engage with INEC and review concerns regarding preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The decision effectively shifts further discussions on the commission’s readiness from the House floor to the committee level, where lawmakers will continue oversight of electoral preparations ahead of the next general election.