The Independent National Electoral Commission has identified insecurity as a major threat to Nigeria’s January and February 2027 general elections, warning that violence could disenfranchise eligible voters.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, said the commission would work with the police and other security agencies to ensure that insecurity did not prevent Nigerians from voting. He also identified logistics and inadequate funding as potential challenges.
Speaking in Owerri, Imo State, Amupitan called for stronger coordination through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security. He urged security personnel to maintain professional neutrality, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen cooperation ahead of the polls.
The INEC chairman also raised concerns about changing methods of vote-buying, saying the practice was increasingly taking place away from polling units. He said the commission was working towards a broader task force involving the Attorney-General’s office, ICCES and law enforcement agencies to tackle electoral offences.
On disputes arising from political party primaries, Amupitan said such matters would be determined by the courts, including the Supreme Court where necessary. He added that INEC would comply with court decisions while continuing to conduct elections contested by political parties.
Amupitan said adequate funding remained essential for deploying electoral personnel and materials across local government areas, wards and polling units. He noted that financial constraints could affect the commission’s ability to carry out its responsibilities, even where security agencies succeeded in maintaining peace.
He said INEC was applying lessons from five recent off-cycle elections to improve its preparations for 2027, particularly in intelligence, logistics and inter-agency coordination. Amupitan also urged political parties to focus campaigns on issues, avoid personal attacks and refrain from treating elections as a “do or die” affair.
