The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has stated that adequate funding is critical to ensuring the security and logistics necessary for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections. He made this statement in Owerri, Imo State, at the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers. The event's theme was "Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections."
Amupitan highlighted that although INEC's funding is constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the scale of its responsibilities requires sustained financial support. INEC is responsible for presidential and National Assembly elections, governorship and State Assembly elections, voter registration, and the registration of political parties. The commission also has statutory powers to request the deployment of security agencies for elections and voter registration.
The INEC chairman emphasized that voter registration is the foundation of credible elections, and an inaccurate or outdated register could undermine inclusiveness. He argued that election expenditure, including security-related costs, should be approached as a collective national responsibility since INEC conducts elections affecting the three tiers of government. Adequate funding is particularly important for deploying personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, and polling units.
Amupitan noted that even where security agencies succeed in maintaining peace, inadequate logistics could still undermine the conduct of elections. He stated that INEC has made security and logistics priorities under his leadership and is working with the government and security agencies to ensure operational challenges do not undermine the 2027 polls. The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) plays a crucial role in coordinating election security.
The INEC chairman cited recent off-cycle elections as evidence of the importance of adequate security and coordination, recalling that security agencies helped resolve incidents that could have disrupted the process. He expressed optimism that the experience of recent elections would be used to strengthen preparations for 2027, particularly in intelligence gathering, logistics, and inter-agency coordination.
Amupitan urged relevant authorities to provide the resources required by security agencies and INEC to perform their responsibilities effectively. He reaffirmed his commitment to deepening operational synergy through ICCES and charged senior police managers to sustain professional neutrality, proactive intelligence gathering, and seamless inter-agency coordination to protect the integrity of the ballot.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, also emphasized the importance of robust policing support in safeguarding the electoral process and guaranteeing the delivery of free, fair, credible, and transparent elections. The Owerri retreat aimed to produce an actionable roadmap ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Key points
- Adequate funding is crucial for providing security and logistics for the 2027 general elections.
- INEC conducts elections affecting the three tiers of government, making election expenditure a collective national responsibility.
- The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) plays a crucial role in coordinating election security.
