INEC CHAIRMAN URGES SECURITY AGENCIES TO SCALE UP PREPAREDNESS AS 2026 ELECTIONS GATHER STEAM
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has called on security agencies to significantly step up planning, intelligence gathering, deployment and inter-agency coordination as Nigeria enters an intense electoral cycle ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Prof. Amupitan made the call on Friday, February 6, 2026, at the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for the year, held at INEC’s conference room in Abuja.
Describing 2026 as a “very busy electoral year,” the INEC Chairman said the Commission would conduct several electoral activities, including Area Council elections, bye-elections and off-cycle governorship elections, all of which require heightened security readiness.
“This reality places a greater burden on our collective shoulders,” Amupitan said, stressing that credible elections are only possible when voters, election personnel and materials are adequately protected.
Reflecting on the Anambra State governorship election held on November 8, 2025, the INEC boss commended security agencies for their professionalism and dedication, noting that despite the state’s history of election-related security challenges, the election was conducted peacefully.
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He attributed the smooth process to effective deployment of security personnel, proactive intelligence coordination and swift response to threats, which he said enabled the Commission to declare a winner on the first ballot—a significant departure from past experiences in the state.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC’s immediate focus was now on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026. He said the election would involve 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six Area Councils.
With campaigns set to end on Thursday, February 19, he urged security agencies to strictly enforce the law, prevent the use of political thugs, curb vote buying and ensure the safety of voters and election officials on Election Day.
The INEC Chairman said the Commission had concluded major preparatory activities, including the batching and delivery of non-sensitive materials to Area Councils and the training of Electoral Officers and Election Security Personnel. He added that the training of ad-hoc staff commenced on Friday, February 6, and would run until February 15, while BVAS devices were being configured and sensitive materials would be delivered under tight security.
He also announced that INEC would conduct a mock accreditation exercise on Saturday, February 7, in 289 selected polling units across the six Area Councils, with details to be published on the Commission’s website.
However, Amupitan emphasised that no level of administrative preparedness could replace effective security coordination, especially in identified flashpoints.
He further noted that bye-elections would also be held on the same day as the FCT polls in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies of Kano State, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance and seamless inter-agency cooperation.
Looking ahead, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Ekiti State governorship election would hold on June 20, 2026, while Osun State would go to the polls on August 8, 2026, with preparatory activities already underway. He stressed that early security planning was critical to preventing avoidable challenges and ensuring peaceful elections in both states.
As part of preparations for the 2027 General Election, Amupitan also revealed that INEC would soon embark on a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise to further sanitise the national register, alongside the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, noting that both exercises would require strong security support.
Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and ICCES Co-Chair, the Director of Internal Security at the Office of the NSA, Mr. Hassan Abdullahi, congratulated INEC and security agencies on the successful conduct of the Anambra governorship election, describing it as a positive benchmark for future polls.
He said the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency for election security, had already begun mobilising resources to ensure peaceful conduct of the FCT Area Council elections, the bye-elections in Rivers and Kano states, as well as forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections.
In his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the Commissioner of Police in charge of Elections, CP Abayomi Shogunle, reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to massive deployment for elections nationwide. He assured that adequate security would continue to be provided for INEC personnel, facilities and materials across the country.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by INEC and security agencies to sustained collaboration, vigilance and professionalism in securing Nigeria’s electoral process throughout the demanding 2026 electoral calendar.
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