2027: INEC CANNOT BE TRULY INDEPENDENT WITHOUT FINANCIAL AUTONOMY, SAYS AMUPITAN

July 24, 2026

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By:Tajudeen Aminat

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said the electoral body cannot achieve genuine independence without financial autonomy.

Amupitan made the remark on Thursday during the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023), a book authored by THISDAY Managing Director, Eniola Bello.

He warned that INEC’s continued reliance on the conventional budgetary process undermines its operational independence and could affect efforts to deliver free, fair and credible elections in 2027.

According to him, while INEC plays a pivotal role in the electoral process, the responsibility for credible elections also rests with political parties, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and the electorate.

“Can INEC truly be independent without financial autonomy? If we are serious about strengthening our institutions and conducting free, fair and credible elections, then financial autonomy is essential,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chairman noted that although the Constitution provides for the commission’s funding through the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the existing arrangement does not guarantee true independence because the commission still depends on the regular budget appropriation process.