The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun training Public Affairs Officers from its 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on archiving and documentation as part of efforts to preserve the Commission’s institutional memory ahead of the 2027 general elections….
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun training Public Affairs Officers from its 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on archiving and documentation as part of efforts to preserve the Commission’s institutional memory ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The two-day workshop, organised by the Voter Education and Publicity Department, is themed “Preserving Institutional Memory Through Effective Archiving and Documentation.”
Declaring the workshop open in Abuja, Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, represented by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, described proper archiving as a critical but often overlooked function of the Commission.
“It is a key leg in the department that we have our archiving done properly, for posterity, for reference, for lesson learning,” Haruna said.
He said records from previous election cycles were often not adequately preserved at state level, making it difficult for the Commission to conduct comparisons, learn from past experiences and maintain continuity.
INEC said its newly established Graphics, Library and Documentation Division was created partly to address the problem.
The Public Affairs Officers participating in the workshop are expected to serve as GLD Desk Officers in their respective states and implement the new documentation standards.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, urged the participants to take the skills acquired back to their states and help preserve the Commission’s records as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
The Commission’s emphasis on archiving is not entirely new. Its 2022–2026 strategic plan identified the establishment of an archival system for electoral information and results management as one of its institutional objectives.
At the workshop, the Deputy Director of Graphics, Library and Documentation said the training represented a return to standard records-management practice.
She said some state offices could not readily produce documented records of previous Commission activities, warning that poor documentation could affect the ability of information officers to explain and defend past decisions.
“The Commission’s credibility rests as much on its memory as on its neutrality. You cannot defend a decision you can no longer explain,” she said.
She further warned that undocumented practices could lead to inconsistent application of guidelines across state and local offices, as well as increase the risk of litigation and public-trust challenges.
Quoting writer Adjori Augustine, she added: “What you don’t put down doesn’t exist.”
INEC plans to establish a central and secure archive containing election guidelines, results documentation, litigation records, post-election reviews and photographic materials from activities across the country.
The Commission said the archive would provide a structured repository for institutional records and support continuity as preparations for the 2027 elections progress.
INEC has already commenced several preparatory activities for the 2027 polls, with its official election calendar listing January 16, 2027 for the presidential and National Assembly elections and February 6, 2027 for governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
Participants are expected to undergo practical sessions on digital documentation during the second day of the workshop, with further monitoring planned to assess implementation of the new archiving standards across the states.
