2027: INEC has no preferred candidate, party — Amupitan
INEC Affirms Neutrality for 2027 General Elections
ABUJA—The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will not endorse any political candidate or party for the 2027 general elections, reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law and the democratic rights of Nigerian voters.
Joash Amupitan, INEC Chairman, made this declaration on Friday during a meeting with a pre-election fact-finding mission from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by former Sierra Leone Vice President Victor Bockarie Foh.
Amupitan indicated that INEC is conducting assessments across the country’s geopolitical zones as part of its preparations for the upcoming elections. “INEC under my watch has no candidate and no political party,” he stated. “Our sole allegiance is to the rule of law, the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate, and the democratic progress of our nation.”
The chairman reported that the elections would take place in 8,809 registration areas across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. He noted that the voter registration list has exceeded 103 million, and that the commission has completed nine of the 14 key statutory milestones in its revised election timetable.
Amupitan explained that INEC has finished three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration process and has successfully completed the nationwide display of the preliminary voter register.
In terms of technology, Amupitan confirmed that INEC plans to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for biometric accreditation. This system will be complemented by electronic result management platforms, including the newly introduced eEC8A electronic verification tool and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He added that INEC is collaborating with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to ensure adequate security measures are in place during the elections.
Victor Bockarie Foh, representing the ECOWAS mission, emphasized that their visit aims to evaluate electoral preparedness in member countries approaching general elections. The mission, which also includes Serigne Mamadou Ka, head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division, will assess the readiness of electoral stakeholders and determine potential areas for support from the regional body.
This effort aligns with Article 31 of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and Article 53 of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework.
