The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the outcome of the 2027 general elections will not be decided in advance, promising that the commission remains committed to conducting transparent and credible polls.
Amupitan also disclosed that INEC was collaborating with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to identify and prosecute individuals involved in pre-election violence, particularly in areas affected by insecurity.
The INEC chairman made the remarks during a panel session at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State. The event focused on developing strategies for effective management of election security ahead of the 2027 polls.
According to a statement issued by INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan identified insecurity as one of the major challenges facing the electoral process.
He noted that violence and insecurity in some states could prevent citizens from participating in elections, adding that INEC was working with security agencies to develop measures that would protect voters and election officials.
“There are still some states in Nigeria that you have a lot of insecurities around, and it’s a major source of concern for us. Because that can be a source of disenfranchisement of Nigerians, and we don’t want any Nigerian to be disenfranchised,” he said.
Amupitan said the police, as the lead agency responsible for election security, remained a critical partner in ensuring peaceful elections.
He also urged political parties and candidates to focus on policies and issues rather than personal attacks during campaigns.
“Election should be based on issues and not campaign of calumny and denigration,” he said.
The INEC chairman further stated that the commission was working with law enforcement agencies to ensure that electoral offences, including violence and vote buying, were properly investigated and prosecuted.
On cases arising from political party primaries, Amupitan explained that such disputes would be handled through the courts and would not stop the 2027 elections from taking place.
He said INEC would comply with judicial decisions from the courts, adding that elections are contested by political parties rather than individual aspirants.
Speaking on vote buying, Amupitan said the practice had increasingly moved away from polling units, requiring stronger intelligence gathering before election day.
“These things are done and planned before the election. And most of the issues of vote buying now, you don’t even see them at the polling units. They are done outside of the polling units. So we need to activate intelligence,” he said.
He disclosed that INEC was considering stronger collaboration involving the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General’s office and security agencies, noting that the commission does not have powers of arrest or investigation.
Amupitan said INEC was also focused on improving logistics, result management and other areas identified as requiring attention from previous elections.
He added that lessons from recent off-cycle elections, including those in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory and Osun, would help strengthen preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The INEC chairman reaffirmed that the commission’s objective was to ensure that Nigerians have confidence in the electoral process through transparency, inclusiveness and effective election management.
