2027 elections will be credible, INEC assures Nigerians

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the commission will conduct credible elections in 2027.

Amupitan gave the assurance during a readiness assessment visit to Gombe, where he led National Commissioners, Resident Electoral Commissioners from North-East zone, and senior officials of commission to assess facilities and review preparations.

Addressing staff at INEC state office in Gombe, the chairman said presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.

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He urged staff to regard the assessment as a call to greater commitment, noting that the commission had limited time to prepare.

“The readiness assessment is to assess what we have on ground,” Amupitan said, adding that ongoing renovations in Gombe and other local government areas were part of efforts to improve operational capacity and election logistics.

He charged electoral officers to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC guidelines.

According to him, the commission must remain impartial and ensure the 2027 elections are free, fair, transparent and credible.

“We are not candidates of our own, but we will do everything possible to conduct a free, fair, inclusive and credible election come 2027,” he said.

Amupitan emphasised the importance of Permanent Voter Cards collection, urging officials to mobilise eligible voters to collect their cards ahead of elections.

He described PVC collection as a right rather than a favour and called on staff to take public enlightenment seriously.

He disclosed that some non-sensitive election materials had already been received, while additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines had been ordered, with delivery expected within the week.

He said the commission was also working on storage facilities and had conducted an audit of existing BVAS machines nationwide following challenges experienced during the 2023 general election.

The chairman noted that technology would remain central to voter accreditation and transmission of results.

“This period, nobody goes on leave again. You should commit your time to support your REC, your administrative secretary, your heads of department and the EOs to ensure that the election is seamless and very successful,” he said.

As part of the visit, the INEC chairman and delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Gombe, HRH Dr. Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, at his palace to seek the support of traditional institutions ahead of the elections.

Amupitan described the visit as an important part of the commission’s consultations with traditional rulers, noting that their influence at the grassroots could help promote peaceful participation and public confidence.

He urged the Emir to mobilise residents to collect PVCs, encourage eligible citizens to vote and appeal to political leaders to conduct campaigns peacefully.

He acknowledged security challenges facing parts of the country, saying INEC was working with security agencies to mitigate threats to voters and election infrastructure.

In his response, the Emir of Gombe welcomed the delegation, describing the visit as timely as preparations for 2027 gathered momentum.

He acknowledged enormous responsibility entrusted to INEC, noting that credible elections required careful planning, professionalism, impartiality, transparency and public cooperation.

The Emir assured the commission that traditional institutions in Gombe State and the wider North-East were prepared to support INEC in a non-partisan manner to promote peaceful and credible elections.

He also pledged support for efforts to discourage electoral violence, inflammatory rhetoric and misinformation.

Earlier, Resident Electoral Commissioner for Gombe State, Mukhtar Gajiram Umar, welcomed Amupitan and the delegation, describing the visit as an important opportunity to review preparations.

The INEC chairman and his team also visited the commission’s office in Gombe Local Government Area and inspected the zonal store to evaluate facilities and logistical arrangements.