The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to building, deepening, and sustaining institutional trust ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, stated this at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the commission. The theme of the workshop was 'Strengthening Democracy through Partnership Among Editors, Civil Society and Electoral Institutions'. Amupitan emphasized the importance of trust in the electoral process.
Amupitan announced that the nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will commence on Friday. He appealed to the Nigerian Guild of Editors and media executives to leverage their platforms to inform citizens, explain collection locations, and encourage registered voters to collect their cards promptly. The national register of voters now stands at over 103 million. This, he said, is a critical milestone in the electoral process.
The INEC chairman noted that the gathering in Abuja is not merely to fulfil a ceremonial obligation or observe routine protocol, but to engage in a high-level, candid, and strategic dialogue. He stressed that the role of editors in sustaining Nigeria's constitutional democracy cannot be overemphasized. The workshop, he said, is convened at a defining threshold in the national journey, with the presidential and national assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.
Amupitan emphasized that a credible election is not an event that happens on a single Saturday, but a rigorous process that requires constant collaboration, transparency, and a unified front against threats to democratic stability. He noted that the commission has a responsibility to provide a transparent, technology-driven, and level playing field. INEC, he said, is committed to the continuous improvement of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
The INEC chairman highlighted the importance of collaboration between INEC, editors, and civil society organizations. He noted that in an era of informational chaos, the editor is the final filter, and their role in distilling complex electoral laws and processes into understandable narratives for the public is crucial. Amupitan also emphasized the role of civil society organizations in providing an external audit that every democracy needs.
Amupitan warned about the danger of fake news, stating that institutional trust can be eroded in minutes by unverified rumors, operational misinterpretations, or deliberate disinformation. He reaffirmed the commission's determination to build trust, saying that under his leadership, INEC is committed to rebuilding, deepening, and sustaining institutional trust. The commission, he said, recognizes that trust cannot be demanded, but must be cultivated through open doors, continuous engagement, and rigorous feedback loops.
INEC, under Amupitan's leadership, has successfully conducted major off-cycle elections, including the Anambra Governorship Election, the FCT Council Polls, and the Ekiti and Osun Governorship Polls. The commission has also made significant progress in the preparations for the 2027 general elections, executing eight of the 14 critical statutory activities and advancing toward the conclusion of the ninth milestone.
Key points
- INEC has 103m registered voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
