The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is making arrangements to establish voting centres for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in nine local government areas of Plateau State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Samuel Egwu, disclosed the plan during a meeting with political party leaders and other stakeholders in Jos.

He explained that the initiative is aimed at ensuring that displaced residents are not denied their constitutional right to participate in the electoral process despite being forced to leave their communities due to insecurity.

The affected local government areas include Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Jos South, Mangu, Kanam, Kanke, Wase and Bokkos.

According to INEC, displaced voters who are unable to return to their communities during the elections will be allowed to cast their votes from designated centres in their areas of displacement.

The commission noted that votes cast by displaced persons will still be counted in their original wards and constituencies to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.

INEC also called on political parties to assist in identifying displaced members and providing accurate information that would help the commission document eligible voters ahead of the elections.

The electoral body expressed hope that normalcy would return to affected communities before the polls but assured that contingency plans are being put in place to guarantee that eligible voters are not disenfranchised.

Prof. Egwu further revealed that over 121,000 new voters were registered in Plateau State during the last Continuous Voter Registration exercise, while thousands of voter transfer requests were also recorded.