The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has highlighted the importance of adequate funding for the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. Speaking at the 6th edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Amupitan noted that the commission's responsibilities require sustained financial support to conduct elections effectively. INEC is responsible for presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as governorship and state House of Assembly elections, voter registration, and the registration of political parties.
Amupitan explained that although INEC's funding is constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the scale of its responsibilities demands more financial support. He emphasized that security is an integral part of the electoral process, and the commission has statutory powers to request the deployment of security agencies for elections and voter registration. Amupitan cited financial constraints as a challenge to the effective conduct of elections, stating that sometimes it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial limitations.
The INEC chairman stressed that voter registration remains the foundation of credible elections, and an inaccurate or outdated voters' register could undermine the inclusiveness of the electoral process. He argued that election expenditure, including security-related costs, should be approached as a collective national responsibility, given that INEC conducts elections affecting the three tiers of government. Amupitan noted that adequate funding is particularly important for the deployment of personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas, and polling units.
Amupitan highlighted the role of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in coordinating election security. He described ICCES as a platform that brings INEC and relevant security and government agencies together to coordinate election security. The committee operates at federal, state, and local government levels, with the Inspector-General of Police participating at the national level, commissioners of police at the state level, and divisional police leadership represented at the local level.
The INEC chairman emphasized that stronger coordination among agencies will be necessary ahead of the 2027 elections, noting that the police remain the lead agency when it comes to election security. He cited recent off-cycle elections as evidence of the importance of adequate security and coordination, recalling that security agencies had helped to resolve incidents that could otherwise have disrupted the electoral process. Amupitan expressed optimism that the Owerri retreat would produce an actionable, forward-looking roadmap ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Amupitan charged senior police managers to sustain absolute professional neutrality, proactive intelligence gathering, and seamless inter-agency coordination to continuously protect the integrity of the ballot. He reaffirmed the Commission's commitment to deepening operational synergy through ICCES. The INEC chairman's call for adequate funding and coordination comes as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.
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 across the nation. She charged the leadership and operational personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to extend their support and synergy to the INEC Chairman in fulfilling his mandate.
Key points
- Adequate funding is crucial for providing security and logistics for the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.
- The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) plays a vital role in coordinating election security.
- Stronger coordination among agencies will be necessary ahead of the 2027 elections to ensure adequate security and logistics.
