By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured Nigerians and the international community of its commitment to neutrality, operational excellence and the integrity of the ballot as the country enters the final 100-day countdown to the 2027 General Election.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, to mark 100 days to the first ballot.
Amupitan said the Commission had moved from the planning stage into full execution, with election materials already in production, technology undergoing rigorous quality assurance, the voters’ register prepared for public scrutiny and personnel undergoing systematic training.
He said the 100-day milestone was not merely a countdown but a call to action for all stakeholders, stressing that the Commission was determined to make the 2027 elections a global benchmark for transparency, integrity and peaceful democratic participation.
«“As we begin this 100-day sprint to the 2027 General Election, we reassure the nation and the international community of our total commitment to neutrality, operational excellence, and the sacred integrity of the ballot box,” Amupitan said.»
The INEC Chairman recalled that since assuming office on October 23, 2025, the Commission had conducted several off-cycle elections, including the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, as well as a number of federal and state bye-elections.
According to him, reports submitted by local and international observers indicated that the elections met established benchmarks of electoral integrity.
He said the polls also provided the Commission with opportunities to test several operational reforms, including early deployment of ad hoc personnel and sensitive materials, improved logistics and intelligence-led security arrangements.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC released the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election on February 26, 2026.
He said the timetable contained 14 statutory milestones, nine of which had already been completed.
The timetable, he added, had been translated into a comprehensive operational plan being implemented across the Commission’s 23 headquarters departments and directorates, 36 state offices, the Federal Capital Territory and all 774 Local Government Area offices.
On funding, Amupitan acknowledged the Federal Government’s timely release of statutory allocations, saying the funds had enabled the Commission to meet international vendor obligations, finance the production of critical electoral technology and upgrade its infrastructure.
He, however, appealed for the prompt release of outstanding funds to enable INEC to complete all pending preparations without disruption.
The Chairman said adequate and timely funding remained critical to the Commission’s ability to deliver a credible election across the country.
Amupitan disclosed that the three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise produced 10,772,421 new voters, bringing the National Register of Voters to about 103 million.
He said the register would be displayed for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15, 2026, urging citizens to use the opportunity to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.
He also announced that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards from Phase One would commence at Local Government centres on Friday, October 9.
The Commission, he said, was determined to ensure that eligible Nigerians were able to exercise their franchise in the 2027 elections.
On political parties and candidates, the INEC Chairman disclosed that 18 of the 22 registered political parties submitted a total of 36 presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2027 election.
He said the Final List of Candidates for the National Assembly elections had already been published on September 12, 2026.
According to him, the final list of candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections would be published on October 10.
The Commission is also advancing its technological preparations, with the production of 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices underway.
Amupitan said some of the new BVAS machines had already been delivered, while procurement for ballot papers and result sheets was nearing completion.
He said the Commission had scheduled a six-day stress test of all configured BVAS devices from October 23 to 28.
A nationwide mock accreditation exercise would also be conducted in November to test the readiness of the technology and personnel ahead of the elections.
The Chairman further disclosed that INEC had established an Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communication Technology Department.
He stressed, however, that the use of artificial intelligence within the Commission would remain subject to mandatory human oversight.
To strengthen logistics, INEC has renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with major transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.
The partnership is expected to provide more than 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats for the movement of electoral personnel and materials.
Amupitan said sensitive electoral materials would be moved from the vaults of the Central Bank of Nigeria to Local Government Areas 72 hours before the polls.
The materials are expected to reach all 8,838 Registration Area Centres by 4pm on the eve of the election to facilitate the opening of polling units at 7:30am nationwide.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission would require 707,384 ad hoc personnel for each of the two election days scheduled for January 16 and February 6, 2027.
This amounts to 1,414,768 engagements across 176,846 polling units.
He said recruitment through the INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff, INECPRES, opened on September 18 and would close at midnight on November 18, 2026.
Amupitan urged qualified Nigerians interested in participating in the electoral process as ad hoc personnel to apply within the stipulated period.
On election security, the Chairman said INEC, through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, would commence joint training for thousands of Electoral Security Personnel.
He disclosed that joint monitoring and undercover surveillance teams would also be deployed in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit.
The teams, he said, would focus particularly on vote-buying and other financial inducements capable of undermining the electoral process.
Amupitan warned that individuals found violating the Electoral Act 2026 would face immediate arrest and prosecution.
Representing the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Alyonu Francis Idu said the police were already conducting clearance operations in Kogi, Niger, Benue and Taraba states to stabilise areas affected by security challenges.
He acknowledged that the security situation had created “pockets of fear” in some parts of the country but assured Nigerians that the police were working to address the crisis points ahead of the elections.
According to him, the police would review their pre-election security preparations in November and provide an update to Nigerians by the end of December.
He said security agencies must exercise legitimate authority rather than abuse their powers during the electoral process.
“We must use legitimate authority, not power, to regulate the conduct of the election,” he said.
Idu expressed optimism that the 2027 elections would enable Nigerians to freely exercise their democratic rights.
The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, congratulated INEC on the recently concluded Osun governorship election, describing the exercise as well applauded and representative of what Nigerians expect from future elections.
Dantalle, however, warned INEC officials against taking sides with political parties or candidates.
He reminded electoral officials that their positions were temporary and that they would eventually return to society as ordinary citizens.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. Today you are in INEC, tomorrow you’ll also be out,” he said.
He pledged the support of political parties to the Commission, stressing that a successful INEC would contribute to a successful Nigeria.
Dantalle also cautioned security agencies to remember their constitutional obligations, noting that those currently in uniform would eventually leave office.
“History will remember you for whatever role you play,” he warned.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Simon Lalong, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework.
He said credible elections were not the responsibility of INEC alone but a shared responsibility involving political parties, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and voters.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun, urged INEC to ensure swift enforcement of constitutional and electoral provisions to minimise avoidable litigation arising from the elections.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mingot, described the task before INEC as “Herculean” and called on all stakeholders to facilitate the Commission’s work.
Mingot particularly stressed the importance of adequate budgetary support for the electoral process.
He disclosed that the European Union would deploy an expert electoral mission to monitor developments before, during and after the 2027 elections.
Amupitan also expressed concern over the growing threat posed by disinformation, particularly through generative artificial intelligence, voice cloning and deepfake videos.
He warned that advances in technology had made it increasingly easy for individuals to fabricate the voices of election officials, manipulate result sheets and circulate false information capable of creating tension.
He therefore urged media organisations to establish fact-checking desks and verify sensitive election-related information with INEC before publication.
He also warned the media against announcing or publishing privately collated election results as official results.
“In national elections, it is far more important to be right than to be first,” he said.
The Chairman further announced that INEC’s Media Accreditation Portal would go live before the end of October 2026, urging media organisations intending to cover the elections to commence their accreditation processes early.
The stakeholders at the Abuja meeting broadly agreed that the success of the 2027 elections would depend on the collective conduct of all actors in the electoral process.
Political parties were urged to play by the rules, security agencies to remain professional and impartial, the media to verify information before publication, while voters were encouraged to reject inducement and participate peacefully.
Dantalle also called on INEC to increase its engagement with political parties before the elections, arguing that regular communication would help address misunderstandings and strengthen confidence in the electoral process.
He warned that political disagreements should not be allowed to threaten national unity.
“This election will come and go, but Nigeria will remain,” he said.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, said INEC had taken note of the contributions and recommendations made by stakeholders.
She assured participants that the Commission would immediately begin translating the recommendations into operational plans and frameworks.
Oriaran-Anthony described the stakeholder engagement as a recommitment to the Nigerian project, stressing that the 2027 General Election should not be viewed as the responsibility of INEC alone.
According to her, the election would ultimately belong to all Nigerians.
“The 2027 General Election will be owned by you, by all Nigerians, not just conducted by the Commission,” she said.
With 100 days remaining before the first ballot, attention is now shifting from planning to execution, with INEC, political parties, security agencies, civil society, the media and voters expected to play their respective roles in delivering a peaceful, transparent and credible electoral process.
The Commission’s readiness will increasingly be measured not only by the completion of its logistical and technological preparations but also by its ability to maintain public confidence, ensure equal treatment of political actors and protect the sanctity of every vote cast in the 2027 General Election.
