With only four months to go before the 2027 general elections, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan SAN has reiterated the need for adequate funding to ensure a successful poll. He made this call in Owerri, Imo State, at the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers. Amupitan emphasized that the commission's responsibilities, including voter registration and election management, require sustained financial support.
Amupitan assured Nigerians that INEC is committed to conducting transparent polls, with no predetermined results. He disclosed that the commission is working closely with the Nigeria Police Force to identify and arrest perpetrators of pre-election violence, particularly in states affected by insecurity. The INEC chairman was accompanied to the event by National Commissioners Ken Nnamdi Ukeagu and Rear Admiral Jamila Abubakar Malaga, as well as other senior officials.
The INEC chairman noted that although the commission's funding is constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the scale of its responsibilities requires sustained financial backing. He cited the commission's responsibilities, including Presidential and National Assembly elections, Governorship and states House of Assembly elections, voter registration, and the registration of political parties.
Amupitan stressed that voter registration remains the foundation of credible elections, warning that an inaccurate or outdated voters' register could undermine the inclusiveness of the electoral process.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. Adequate funding is critical for the deployment of personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas, and polling units.
The INEC chairman highlighted the role of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security ICCES, which brings INEC and relevant security and government agencies together to coordinate election security. He noted that ICCES operates at federal, state, and local government levels, with the Inspector General of Police participating at the national level. Amupitan emphasized that stronger coordination among agencies will be necessary ahead of 2027.
Amupitan cited recent off-cycle elections as evidence of the importance of adequate security and coordination. He recalled that security agencies had helped resolve incidents that could otherwise have disrupted the electoral process. The INEC chairman urged the relevant authorities to provide the resources required by security agencies and INEC to perform their respective responsibilities effectively.
Reaffirming the commission's commitment to deepening operational synergy through ICCES, Amupitan expressed optimism that the Owerri retreat would produce an actionable, forward-looking roadmap ahead of the 2027 general elections. He 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.
Key points
- INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan calls for adequate funding to ensure a successful 2027 general election.
- The commission is working closely with the Nigeria Police Force to identify and arrest perpetrators of pre-election violence.
- Amupitan emphasizes that voter registration remains the foundation of credible elections.
