The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians of transparency in the outcome of the 2027 general elections. He stressed that the Commission is committed to the integrity of the contest. Amupitan made this statement during a panel session at the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo state.
Amupitan identified security as one of the commission’s major concerns ahead of the 2027 elections. He noted that some states in Nigeria are still experiencing insecurity, which could lead to disenfranchisement of Nigerians. The INEC chairman stated 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 cited the Anambra, FCT, and Osun elections among recent polls, assuring that the outcome of the general elections will not be predetermined. He said none of the five off-cycle elections conducted so far had been declared inconclusive. Amupitan added that lessons from each election had been used to improve subsequent exercises.
Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible, and inclusive 2027 general election. He urged political parties and candidates to focus on issues rather than attacking opponents, decrying the growing culture of personality-based politics and intolerance among political actors.
On litigations arising from political party primaries, Amupitan said such disputes were matters for the courts and would not stop the conduct of the 2027 elections. He explained that although several primary-related cases were before the courts, the Electoral Act provided for their determination through the judicial process up to the final appellate level.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC was working towards establishing a joint task force involving the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General’s office, and other security agencies to tackle electoral malpractice, including vote buying. He noted that the commission lacked powers of arrest or investigation but was strengthening its intelligence-gathering capacity to address these issues.
Amupitan said recent off-cycle elections had provided useful lessons for the 2027 general elections. He added that recommendations from the Owerri retreat would be presented to the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which comprises the Inspector-General of Police, the INEC chairman, and other security and relevant agencies.
Key points
- Pending primary litigations will not stop the 2027 general elections.
- INEC is working closely with the Nigeria Police Force to identify and arrest perpetrators of pre-election violence.
- The Commission is strengthening its intelligence-gathering capacity to tackle vote buying and other electoral malpractices.
