The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that it has no preferred political party or candidate and will not take sides in the contest.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Friday during a meeting with a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The delegation was led by former Sierra Leone Vice-President, Victor Bockarie Foh, who is in Nigeria to assess preparations for the forthcoming elections and identify areas where the regional organisation could offer support.
Amupitan said the Commission’s responsibility was to Nigerians and the country’s democratic process, stressing that its decisions would be guided by the law and the wishes of voters rather than political interests.
He also disclosed that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters had exceeded 103 million as INEC continued preparations for the elections.
According to him, nine of the 14 major activities outlined in the revised election timetable had been completed. He listed the conclusion of three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and the nationwide display of the Preliminary Register of Voters among the milestones already achieved.
The INEC chairman further explained that preparations were ongoing across the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, covering 774 local government areas, 8,809 registration areas and 176,846 polling units.
On the use of technology, Amupitan said the Commission would deploy the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for biometric voter verification, alongside electronic platforms for managing and verifying election results.
He specifically mentioned the eEC8A electronic verification platform and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), describing them as important tools for improving transparency in the electoral process.
He added that INEC was working with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to address potential threats and ensure a peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the polls.
Amupitan also appealed to ECOWAS to support the electoral process through observer missions, technical assistance and efforts to tackle misinformation, logistical challenges and gaps in voter education.
In his remarks, Foh explained that the mission’s visit was part of ECOWAS’ responsibility to monitor electoral preparations in member countries ahead of major elections.
He said the delegation would also meet political parties, government officials, civil society organisations, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to obtain a broader understanding of Nigeria’s political environment.
Foh noted that the exercise was not intended to assess INEC alone but to examine the overall readiness of institutions and stakeholders involved in the 2027 electoral process.
