INEC Has No Candidate, No Party,’ Amupitan Assures ECOWAS Of Neutrality In 2027 Elections
‘INEC Has No Candidate, No Party,’ Amupitan Assures ECOWAS Of Neutrality In 2027 Elections
Amupitan described the 2027 elections as a pivotal milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey since the return to civilian rule in 1999, noting that their successful conduct would have significant implications for democratic stability and consolidation across West Africa.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has said that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters had surpassed 103 million ahead of 2027 general elections, assuring that the electoral commission’s allegiance is exclusively to Nigerians and the country’s democratic process.
Amupitan gave the assurance while receiving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission, led by former Vice-President of Sierra Leone, Victor Bockarie Foh, at INEC’s National Headquarters in Abuja.
“INEC under my watch has no candidate and no political party,” Amupitan declared. “Our sole allegiance is to the rule of law, the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate, and the democratic progress of our nation.”
Amupitan described the 2027 elections as a pivotal milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey since the return to civilian rule in 1999, noting that their successful conduct would have significant implications for democratic stability and consolidation across West Africa.
He disclosed that INEC has completed nine of the 14 major statutory milestones contained in its revised timetable and schedule of activities for the elections.
According to him, the commission has concluded three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and completed the nationwide physical display of the Preliminary Register of Voters.
Providing details of the logistical demands of the elections, Amupitan said INEC would deploy personnel and technological resources across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, covering 774 Local Government Areas, 8,809 Registration Areas and 176,846 polling units.
He said the commission has adopted a field-driven approach to assessing its preparedness, including conducting zonal readiness assessment tours across the country’s geopolitical zones.
On the deployment of technology, the INEC chairman reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation of voters.
He also highlighted the planned deployment of electronic result management systems, including the introduction of the eEC8A electronic verification platform, which he said would complement transparent result management and verification through the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Amupitan further disclosed that the commission was working with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to strengthen security arrangements ahead of the elections.
He called on ECOWAS to deepen its collaboration with INEC through the deployment of long-term and short-term election observers, sharing of technical expertise and support in tackling emerging electoral challenges, including disinformation, logistics and inclusive voter education.
The INEC chairman also urged the regional organisation to sustain diplomatic engagement with political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to encourage peaceful campaigns and adherence to democratic commitments.
Speaking during the meeting, Foh explained that the ECOWAS mission was part of the regional body’s established practice of assessing electoral preparedness in member states approaching general elections.
Foh, alongside the Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division and Permanent Secretary of the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC), Serigne Mamadou Ka, said the mission was undertaken in line with Article 31 of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, Article 53 of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and relevant decisions of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
He explained that the mission was designed to assess the preparedness of electoral stakeholders and identify areas where the ECOWAS Commission could provide technical and other forms of support.
The delegation disclosed that its consultations would extend beyond INEC to include political party leaders and coalitions, government representatives, civil society organisations, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
The ECOWAS representatives stressed that their assignment was not restricted to evaluating the electoral commission but was intended to provide a broader understanding of Nigeria’s political and institutional environment ahead of the 2027 polls.
The assurance of neutrality comes as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, as public confidence in the electoral process, the credibility of election technology, transparency in result transmission and the independence of electoral institutions remain major issues.
