2027: Global community looking up to INEC — Amupitan

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called on staff of the commission to work with integrity and selflessness, warning that INEC “cannot afford to fail Nigerians” in the 2027 general elections.

He made the call on Friday in Minna, Niger State, during a working visit and interactive session with the commission’s management and staff at the state headquarters.

Cautioning against compromise, the INEC boss said both Nigerians and the international community were already focused on the country’s electoral process.

“Note that you are our ambassadors and you cannot afford to fail. The general election is coming up on Jan. 16 for the presidential and National Assembly elections, and Feb. 6 for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

“The whole world, not just Nigerians, is looking up to INEC. I just returned from an African Union meeting in Egypt involving all the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) in Africa, and everyone expressed their desire to come and monitor Nigeria’s elections.

“So, the whole world is watching us. We must conduct the election in a highly professional manner,” he said.

Amupitan assured that the commission was working to improve logistics, infrastructure and transport fleets in all state offices ahead of the polls.

“We do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past. My goal is to ensure that we improve on our performance continuously,” he stated.

Reflecting nine months in office, he reaffirmed his commitment to rebuilding public trust through transparent, free, fair and credible elections, noting that this can only be achieved with dedicated and honest field personnel.

The chairman also announced a reward and sanction policy for staff performance.

“We must learn from the lessons of past elections. There should be no compromise whatsoever. We have decided to introduce rewards for hard work, but if there is any misconduct, there will be serious consequences.

“Work hard, work selflessly, shun corruption, and let us give the Nigerian people what they truly desire,” he urged.

On welfare, Amupitan disclosed that INEC has begun a comprehensive review of staff packages nationwide to boost morale.

“When I assumed office, I discovered that the welfare package for INEC staff was among the lowest in the country. To boost your morale, the commission decided to take this issue head-on. When the results begin to manifest, you will appreciate our commitment,” he said.

He added that a stable political system depends on INEC’s independence and performance.

“We play a pivotal role in ensuring that Nigeria moves into the comity of developed nations. This can only happen if our political system is stable, and that stability depends largely on our independence and performance as an electoral body.”

Prof. Amupitan also monitored the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise at a centre within the state headquarters.

Meanwhile, the chairman of INEC has reassured Nigerians that their votes will count in forthcoming elections.

He gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to retired General Abdulsalam Abubakar at his residence in Minna, Niger State, where he led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, Directors and Technical Aides of the Chairman.

Prof. Amupitan described General Abubakar as the father of democracy in Nigeria, noting that his transition to civilian rule in 1999 marked a defining moment in the country’s democratic history. He said the Commission regarded the former Head of State not merely as a statesman but as a pillar of support for INEC.

The INEC Chairman commended General Abubakar’s role as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, describing his Peace Accord initiative as a moralising influence on Nigeria’s political ecosystem. He said the initiative had, over the years, provided political actors with a platform to commit to non-violence, thereby strengthening the sovereignty of the will of the Nigerian people.

Prof. Amupitan described the visit as a pilgrimage of appreciation for General Abubakar’s contributions to peaceful coexistence, peaceful elections and democratic stability in the country, and further congratulated him on his recent 84th birthday anniversary.

He told the former Head of State that regardless of the pressures confronting the Commission, INEC remained committed to ensuring that the will of the Nigerian people, as expressed at the Election, would prevail.

He said the Commission’s determination under his leadership was to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote, confident that their votes would be duly counted and reflected in the outcome of elections, describing this as the core assurance INEC owed the electorate.

The INEC Chairman used the occasion to formally confirm that the Presidential and National Assembly election would hold on 16 January 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly election would take place on 6 February 2027.

Responding, the former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee (NPC), General Abubakar (rtd), called on Nigerians to rally support behind the Commission ahead of the 2027 General Election.

He commended the Commission’s leadership and described the INEC chairmanship as one of the most demanding positions in the country, given the divergent expectations of political actors regardless of whatever direction the Commission takes.

He called on Nigerians to support the Commission and its leadership, stressing that the success of the nation’s democracy depended on the cooperation and confidence extended to INEC by the citizenry and political stakeholders alike.

General Abubakar expressed confidence in Prof. Amupitan’s leadership, urging him to remain firm and impartial in the discharge of his duties, and assured the Commission of his continued support and prayers ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The INEC Chairman thanked General Abubakar for his continued goodwill towards the Commission and reiterated that INEC would spare no effort in delivering free, fair and credible elections in 2027.