NO PLAN TO POSTPONE 2027 ELECTIONS — INEC CHAIRMAN
Read Time:4 Minute, 17 Second
By ‘Sefiu Ajape
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, has ruled out any plan to postpone the 2027 general elections, insisting that the polls will hold as scheduled.
Amupitan said the commission had fixed its statutory timetable and was already intensifying preparations for the elections, stressing that there would be no adjustment to the schedule.
He spoke on Saturday during an interactive meeting with INEC staff members and Resident Electoral Commissioners from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to assess their readiness for the 2027 elections.
His remarks come amid claims by some political parties that the commission was planning to postpone the general elections.
Addressing the officials, Amupitan maintained that INEC would not alter its election timetable for any reason, adding that the commission was committed to conducting credible polls in accordance with the law.
“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” the INEC boss declared.
He disclosed that Rivers State would receive special attention during the preparations because of its strategic position in the region and its status as the South-South state with the highest number of registered voters.
According to figures presented by the INEC chairman, Rivers has 3,736,434 registered voters, followed by Delta with 3,525,988; Edo, 2,865,263; Akwa Ibom, 2,566,198; Cross River, 1,928,978; and Bayelsa, 1,200,691.
The six states collectively have 15,823,550 registered voters, he said, adding that the commission would pay closer attention to Rivers because of its electoral significance.
“With the 3,736,434 registered voters for Rivers State, the state leads the South-South. By this, the commission will put more attention to what happens in Rivers State. It is your duty to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised because of operational failures,” Amupitan said.
On the voters’ register, the INEC chairman disclosed that the commission had published the register online and at designated locations for public scrutiny.
He said INEC had received more than 5,000 claims seeking corrections, including changes to names and dates of birth, as well as over 600 objections, which were being addressed ahead of the elections.
Amupitan announced that the final voters’ register would be released on December 15, expressing the commission’s determination to resolve all outstanding issues before the deadline.
He explained that INEC had initially considered revalidating the voters’ register after he assumed office but abandoned the proposal because of concerns that the exercise would be too close to the general elections.
The commission chairman also expressed confidence in INEC’s capacity to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible elections, citing lessons from recent off-cycle governorship polls, particularly the Osun State election.
He said the Osun election recorded the highest voter turnout in the history of off-cycle elections in Nigeria and was adjudged credible by local and international observers despite earlier security concerns.
“Osun State elections gave us the confidence that we can achieve this despite the noise. It is good that we had a series of those elections before the general elections because we learn lessons from every election,” Amupitan stated.
He added that INEC would apply the experience gained from the off-cycle elections to improve its preparations for the 2027 polls, expressing optimism that the general elections would be better conducted.
“We will conduct elections that will move the nation forward and not an election that will bring it down,” he said.
On security, Amupitan said the commission was working with relevant agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, to ensure the safety of voters, electoral officials, ad hoc personnel and election materials.
He stressed that INEC would not encourage Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards without ensuring that they could safely exercise their voting rights on election day.
“We want every part of Nigeria to be calm during the elections so that people can come out to vote. We will not tell them to take their PVCs and then will not guarantee their safety,” he said.
The INEC chairman also dismissed concerns that Artificial Intelligence and algorithms could determine the outcome of the 2027 elections, insisting that the decision would rest with Nigerian voters.
“It is the people of Nigeria that will decide the outcome of the elections and not AI or any algorithms,” he said.
However, he warned about growing cybersecurity threats associated with Artificial Intelligence, noting that the commission would explore ways to deploy technology to protect its systems against possible attacks.
Amupitan said INEC was working to strengthen the security of its digital infrastructure and would not allow anyone to undermine its operations.
He urged staff across the South-South to remain committed to their responsibilities, stressing that the credibility of the elections would depend largely on their conduct at polling units and other field locations.
He also warned that any INEC staff member or ad hoc personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps, found attempting to compromise the elections in their areas of assignment would be sanctioned in accordance with the law.
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