The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a three-day training programme for Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) as part of preparations for the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election and six bye-elections scheduled across Enugu, Rivers, Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano, and Kebbi States.
The training, which began on Friday, June 5, 2026, is being conducted simultaneously at designated centres nationwide and is organised by The Electoral Institute (TEI). It is aimed at equipping participants with the technical knowledge and operational skills required to train Presiding Officers (POs) and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), as well as to effectively supervise polling and counting procedures during elections.
Speaking at the opening session, the Hon. National Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), Professor Kunle Ajayi, commended the Commission for approving the training programme. He reiterated INEC’s commitment to ensuring transparent, credible and peaceful elections in line with its constitutional mandate under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The Acting Director-General of The Electoral Institute, Professor Ibrahim Sani, highlighted the importance of capacity building in the electoral process, noting that effective training remains essential to the conduct of free, fair and inclusive elections.
He urged participants to familiarize themselves with the Commission’s technology-driven innovations, including the enhanced Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the Electronic Election Result Collation system (eEC8A). He also charged them to uphold integrity, professionalism and competence in the discharge of their duties.
Similarly, the Director of Training at TEI, Dr. Binta Kasim Mohammed, described the programme as a strategic intervention rather than a routine exercise. She stressed the need for participants to demonstrate high levels of responsibility, neutrality and adherence to INEC’s code of conduct, particularly as they will later supervise training for frontline election officials.
She emphasized that strict compliance with electoral guidelines and non-partisanship were critical to maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.
The training sessions are focused on key aspects of election administration, including polling and counting procedures, election day operations, result management, and the supervisory responsibilities of SPOs. Participants are also being trained on the use of electoral technologies such as the BVAS for voter accreditation and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for uploading polling unit results.
At the Federal Polytechnic Satellite Campus in Ado-Ekiti, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State, Dr. Bunmi Omosehindemi, urged trainees to maintain professionalism and adhere strictly to the Commission’s code of conduct.
Other officials present included the Administrative Secretary of INEC Ekiti State, Mr. Tope Aina, and the Head of Department, Electoral Operations, Dr. Rahman Badru, while facilitators were drawn from The Electoral Institute and INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
The training forms part of INEC’s broader preparations to strengthen election management capacity and improve the credibility of electoral processes ahead of the 2026 polls.
