The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has identified insecurity, electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech and disinformation among the major challenges that could threaten the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, raised the concerns on Tuesday in Abuja while receiving a Pre-Election Assessment Mission, PEAM, delegation from the International Republican Institute, IRI.
The delegation was led by former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Jendayi Frazier.
Amupitan said security risks, localised electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech, disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, FIMI, could undermine voter confidence if not properly addressed.
“Security risks, localised electoral violence, vote-buying, and the rapid proliferation of hate speech, disinformation, and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference, FIMI, pose direct threats to voter confidence,” he said.
The meeting came shortly after the Osun State governorship election and ahead of the statutory commencement of campaigns and rallies for the 2027 elections.
The INEC chairman described the IRI assessment as important as the commission moves into full-scale preparations for the nationwide elections.
INEC prepares for over 176,000 polling units
Amupitan said INEC would require about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel to conduct the 2027 elections across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
He also disclosed that the commission was deploying the Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS, through the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, process.
According to him, the technology will help detect duplicate registrations and improve the accuracy of the National Register of Voters.
He added that recent off-cycle governorship elections and legislative by-elections had provided INEC with opportunities to test its logistics, security arrangements and electoral technology ahead of the 2027 polls.
INEC highlights BVAS, IReV improvements
The commission also pointed to improvements in the use of technology during recent elections.
Amupitan specifically highlighted the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, as well as the publication of polling unit result sheets, Form EC8A, on the INEC Result Viewing, IReV, portal.
He said recent off-cycle elections recorded upload rates above 98 percent on the platform.
“The performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, for dual biometric verification and the real-time public display of Polling Unit result sheets, Form EC8A, on the INEC Result Viewing, IReV, portal continues to demonstrate high operational reliability,” he said.
INEC plans transport arrangements, accessibility measures
Amupitan said the commission would conduct further audits of the voter register and begin early preparations for election-day transportation.
INEC plans to work with transport unions to help ensure that polling units open by 8:30 a.m.
The commission also intends to strengthen arrangements for persons with disabilities, pregnant women and elderly voters.
On electoral offences and campaign financing, Amupitan said INEC would continue working with security and anti-corruption agencies.
He identified the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, EFCC and ICPC as key partners in monitoring electoral offences, enforcing campaign finance rules and ensuring that offenders are prosecuted.
INEC promises neutrality ahead of 2027
The INEC chairman further disclosed that the commission would join presidential candidates in signing the National Peace Committee’s Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns.
The initiative is aimed at encouraging peaceful and issue-focused campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.
Amupitan also reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to neutrality, transparency and credibility throughout the electoral process.
“As an electoral management body, our sole mandate is to serve as an uncompromising, impartial umpire dedicated to delivering a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election that reflects the sovereign will of the Nigerian people,” he said.
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