2027: INEC assures Nigerians of electoral integrity

INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has assured Nigerians of its commitment to electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance on Saturday while presiding over operations at the Commission’s National Situation Room at its headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement issued and signed by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said operational bottlenecks identified before the by-elections held in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states were swiftly addressed.

“Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution.

“Whatever administrative or field challenges arose in before the day of the elections, the Commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively. We remain committed to refining our processes so that every subsequent exercise reflects higher standards of efficiency and public confidence.”

The Commission conducted four legislative by-elections in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency in Gombe State, Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano State, Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies in Bauchi State and Udu State Constituency in Delta State on Saturday.

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Amupitan described the by-elections as crucial operational tests that would provide lessons for the 2027 general election.

He said every off-cycle election was an important dress rehearsal for the general election, stressing that no electoral contest should be regarded as trivial or routine.

“These four bye-elections provide indispensable operational lessons for the Commission as we systematically chart our roadmap toward the 2027 general election.

“We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary bye-election. Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations for the 2027 general election, allowing us to continuously audit our logistics framework, stress-test our technological deployment, and evaluate administrative field readiness,”

The INEC chairman, accompanied by National Commissioners and senior management officials, monitored the elections as operational reports were received from the various states.

Amupitan thanked officials in the Situation Room, particularly the technical team, for enabling the Commission to monitor the multi-state exercise seamlessly and assess field performance without any hitch.