The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concerns over its funding needs for the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the call during a conference for senior police officers in Owerri, Imo State. The conference, themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections,” aimed to address security challenges during elections. Amupitan emphasized the importance of adequate funding for INEC to carry out its responsibilities effectively.
INEC's wide responsibilities, including conducting presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state House of Assembly elections, require sustained financial support. Although INEC's funding is provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, Amupitan stressed that the commission's extensive duties necessitate additional financial backing. Inadequate funding could hinder INEC's ability to provide necessary security and logistics, ultimately affecting the electoral process.
Voter registration is a critical aspect of the electoral process, and INEC requires adequate funding to maintain an accurate and updated voters' register. An inaccurate or outdated register could compromise the inclusiveness of the electoral process. Amupitan highlighted that adequate funding is necessary for deploying electoral personnel and materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas, and polling units.
The INEC chairman also emphasized the importance of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which coordinates election security among INEC, security agencies, and government institutions. ICCES operates at the federal, state, and local government levels, with senior police officers playing key roles. Amupitan urged stronger cooperation among security agencies to ensure effective election security ahead of the 2027 elections.
Amupitan noted that even with successful security maintenance, poor logistics could still affect the conduct of elections. He stressed that INEC had made security and logistics key priorities under his leadership and was working with government and security agencies to address operational challenges. The chairman also urged authorities to learn from recent off-cycle elections, particularly in intelligence gathering, logistics, and coordination among security agencies.
Nigerians expect a highly effective electoral system, but achieving this goal requires adequate resources. Amupitan emphasized that if Nigerians want the best electoral system, there must be a cost for it. He urged relevant authorities to provide INEC and security agencies with the necessary resources to perform their duties effectively. The INEC chairman reaffirmed the commission's commitment to improving cooperation through ICCES.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, also called on the Nigeria Police Force to support the INEC chairman in carrying out his mandate. She emphasized that strong police support and cooperation were essential to protecting the electoral process and ensuring free, fair, credible, and transparent elections across Nigeria.
Key points
- INEC requires adequate funding to ensure security and logistics for the 2027 general elections.
- Inadequate funding could affect the ability of INEC and security agencies to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
- Stronger cooperation among security agencies is necessary to ensure effective election security ahead of the 2027 elections.
