2027: INEC lists challenges ahead of polls
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has highlighted several significant threats to the integrity of the upcoming 2027 general elections. These threats include security risks, localized electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech, disinformation, and foreign information manipulation and interference.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made these remarks on Tuesday during a meeting in Abuja with a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI), which was led by former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Ambassador Jendayi Frazier.
Amupitan emphasized that the identified threats could undermine voter confidence and present major challenges to the electoral process if not adequately addressed. He stated, “Security risks, localized electoral violence, vote-buying, and the rapid proliferation of hate speech, disinformation, and foreign information manipulation and interference pose direct threats to voter confidence.”
This meeting occurred shortly after the Osun State off-cycle governorship election and a day before the official start of public campaigns for the 2027 general elections, scheduled for Wednesday, August 19.
The INEC chairman noted that the assessment mission provided valuable insights as the commission commenced its preparations for the elections. He announced plans to enhance operational capabilities, aiming to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc staff across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
Amupitan also revealed that INEC is employing the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to identify and eliminate duplicate entries and ensure a verified National Register of Voters under the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) framework. He pointed out that recent off-cycle elections have served as practical trials for the commission’s logistics, security coordination, and technological systems.
He highlighted the effectiveness of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which has shown operational reliability with upload rates exceeding 98% for result sheets displayed in real-time on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Amupitan outlined INEC’s operational plan, which includes conducting audits of the voter register, establishing early deployment arrangements with transport unions to ensure polling units open by 8:30 AM, and introducing improved assistive devices for persons with disabilities, pregnant women, and elderly voters.
To address security and financial threats, INEC is collaborating with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and anti-corruption organizations such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC). This partnership aims to enforce campaign finance regulations and monitor electoral offenses to ensure that violators are prosecuted.
Later in the day, INEC plans to join presidential candidates for the signing of the National Peace Committee’s Peace Accord, which promotes issue-based campaigns and civility among political actors.
Reaffirming the commission’s commitment to neutrality, Amupitan assured the international delegation of INEC’s dedication to transparency and cooperation 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 stated.
