The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared political neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections where he maintained that neither President Bola Tinubu‘s party nor any opposition group enjoys its favour as preparations advance for a contest involving more than 103 million registered voters.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja while receiving an ECOWAS pre-election fact-finding mission led by former Sierra Leone Vice-President Victor Bockarie Foh.
“INEC under my watch has no candidate and no political party,” Amupitan said. “Our sole allegiance is to the rule of law, the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate, and the democratic progress of our nation.”
His declaration comes as the commission conducts readiness assessments across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and works through the statutory requirements for the next general elections. The chairman disclosed that nine of the 14 major milestones in the revised election timetable had been completed.
The scale of the exercise is considerable. INEC plans to conduct elections across 8,809 registration areas and 774 local government areas, with the national voter register already exceeding 103 million. The figures indicate the logistical demands facing the commission, from voter accreditation and ballot distribution to result collation across the country.
Amupitan also confirmed that three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise had been concluded, alongside the nationwide physical display of the preliminary voter register.
These processes are important because they give eligible citizens an opportunity to register, while allowing voters to check their details and identify errors before the final register is prepared.
Technology will play a central role in the commission’s election plan. The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is expected to handle fingerprint and facial recognition during accreditation.
INEC will also deploy electronic result management systems, including the eEC8A platform for electronic verification and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for public access to uploaded results.
However, the effectiveness of these systems will depend on reliable deployment, accurate data and the commission’s ability to address technical problems when they arise. Their presence alone cannot guarantee credible elections without transparent procedures and effective oversight.
Security is another major concern. Amupitan said INEC was working with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to prepare for possible threats during the polls.
RELATED NEWS:
The ECOWAS delegation is assessing Nigeria’s electoral preparations under regional democracy and conflict-prevention frameworks. Foh said the mission would examine the readiness of electoral stakeholders and identify areas where the regional body could provide assistance.
With more than 103 million voters and elections scheduled across all 774 local government areas, INEC’s pledge of neutrality will face its real test in how it handles candidates, political parties, security challenges and disputed results throughout the electoral process.
For More News Updates, Visit New Daily Prime News
