Amupitan Calls For Stronger Election Credibility
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called for strengthened election credibility as a key measure to boost public trust and reduce post-election tensions.
Amupitan made the call while speaking at the second annual lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), where he emphasized that credible elections and national security are closely linked.
He disclosed that INEC is deploying technological safeguards, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), to curb electoral fraud and improve transparency.
The INEC chairman also urged enhanced collaboration among security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), advocating a shift from reactive policing to proactive intelligence coordination ahead of upcoming elections, including the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls in 2026.
Amupitan expressed concern over declining voter turnout, describing voter apathy as a growing security risk capable of fueling anti-democratic narratives and undermining legitimacy.
Reaffirming INEC’s commitment to free, fair, and credible elections, he said the commission is undertaking continuous voter registration, cleaning up the voter register, and reviewing electoral guidelines to strengthen the process.
He called on stakeholders including security agencies, civil society, and citizens to work together in promoting voter education, technological adoption, inclusivity, and accountability throughout the electoral cycle.
“An election is only as good as its logistics, and only as peaceful as its security,” he said.
Amupitan further described the timetable for the 2027 general elections as a “security trigger,” stressing the need for heightened preparedness.
According to him, presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
He warned that Nigeria’s electoral process still faces challenges such as malpractice, vote buying, violence, and declining public confidence, all of which pose threats to national stability.
The INEC chairman also identified emerging risks, including social media volatility, AI-driven disinformation, foreign information manipulation, and logistical constraints, cautioning that their intersection with insurgency and communal conflicts could further erode public trust.
