INEC Chairman Warns Insecurity Threatens Nigeria’s 2027 Elections
- The Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned that insecurity poses a serious threat to the credibility of the 2027 elections
- He stressed that violence, vote trading, and electoral malpractices continue to undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy
- Amupitan called for proactive security measures and stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Police to safeguard voters, officials, and the integrity of the electoral process
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has raised serious concerns about the impact of insecurity on Nigeria’s upcoming general elections.
Speaking on Wednesday, May 6 during a visit to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, in Abuja, Amupitan warned that violence and threats across different regions could undermine free and fair polls in 2027.
Source: Twitter
According to PUNCH, he stressed that the prevailing challenges — including vote trading, electoral malpractices, and violence — continue to weaken public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
“In Nigeria, our electoral system has placed numerous challenges over the years, ranging from malpractices to threats of violence, vote trading that undermine the confidence of the electorates,” Amupitan said.
Security measures for 2027 general elections
Amupitan emphasised the need for proactive security planning ahead of the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly elections on February 6, 2027.
“The scale of insecurity across the various parts of Nigeria presents a threat to the conduct of the fair election. It is essential that we carry out total security risk analysis ahead of the election and this will enable us to identify potential flashpoints and deploy appropriate strategies to mitigate risks, thereby safeguarding voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the electoral process,” he stated.
He noted that strong collaboration between INEC and security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police, is vital since the police lead electoral security operations.
Off-cycle elections and electoral act 2026
The INEC chairman also pointed out that ongoing political activities, including party congresses and primaries under the Electoral Act 2026, heighten the need for robust security measures.
He described upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, as well as several by-elections nationwide, as critical tests for Nigeria’s democratic resilience.
Protecting internally displaced persons
Amupitan highlighted humanitarian concerns, stressing that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and persons with disabilities must not be excluded from the electoral process.
“I also want to draw attention to several IDP camps that are scattered all over Nigeria. Let me say that it is their right to also vote, and they must not be disenfranchised,” he said.
He assured that INEC is working to provide a conducive environment for these groups to exercise their voting rights.
In response, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu pledged that the Force would adopt intelligence-led deployment and preventive policing strategies. He said measures would be taken to tackle emerging threats such as political violence, arms proliferation, cyber manipulation, and attacks on electoral infrastructure.
Source: Facebook
What may happen if INEC chairman resigns
Legit.ng earlier reported that the call by the opposition leaders for the resignation of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has been described as a political move by political analyst, Omotayo Yusuf.
Yusuf, while reacting to the call for the INEC chairman's resignation in an interview with Legit.ng, maintained that the plot is for the opposition to back their argument in the court of public opinion and the court of law because they do not see a pathway to victory for them in the 2027 elections.
Source: Legit.ng
