The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a neutral, transparent and credible 2027 General Election as preparations enter the final 100-day phase.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at a world press conference and national stakeholders’ meeting marking 100 days to the first ballot at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Amupitan said the Commission had moved from planning to full-scale implementation, with election materials already in production, technology undergoing quality checks, the voter register prepared for public scrutiny and personnel receiving systematic training.
“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,” he said.
He described the milestone as more than a countdown, saying it represented a call to action and the beginning of the final stage of preparations for an election that would meet high standards of transparency, integrity and peace.
Amupitan said that since assuming office on October 23, 2025, the Commission had conducted several off-cycle elections, including the governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, the FCT Area Council elections and various federal and state bye-elections.
He said reports from domestic and international observers indicated that the elections met the Commission’s benchmark for electoral integrity.
According to him, the polls also provided an opportunity to test operational improvements, including the early deployment of ad hoc personnel and sensitive materials, more flexible logistics and intelligence-led security arrangements.
The INEC chairman said the Commission released its revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections on February 26, 2026, outlining 14 statutory milestones, nine of which had been completed.
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He said the timetable had been converted into an operational plan covering the Commission’s 23 headquarters departments and directorates, 36 state offices, the FCT and 774 local government offices.
On funding, Amupitan acknowledged the timely release of statutory allocations by the Federal Government, saying the funds had enabled INEC to meet international vendor obligations, finance critical election technology and upgrade infrastructure.
He, however, appealed for the prompt release of outstanding funds to enable the Commission to complete the remaining activities without disruption.
On voter registration, Amupitan said the three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise produced 10,772,421 new voters, taking the national register to 103 million.
He said the register would be displayed for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15, while distribution of Phase 1 Permanent Voter Cards to local government centres would commence on October 9.
The chairman said 18 of the 22 registered political parties had submitted 36 presidential and vice-presidential candidates, while the final list of National Assembly candidates was published on September 12.
He added that the final list of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates would be published on October 10.
Amupitan said production of 57,000 additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices was at an advanced stage, with some already delivered, while arrangements for printing ballot papers and result sheets were nearing completion.
He said INEC had also renewed its agreements with the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria to facilitate the deployment of more than 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats for election logistics.
According to him, sensitive materials would be moved from Central Bank of Nigeria vaults to local government areas 72 hours before the polls and delivered to all 8,838 Registration Area Centres by 4 p.m. on the eve of the election.
On technology, Amupitan said INEC had scheduled a six-day stress test of all configured BVAS devices from October 23 to 28, followed by a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November.
He also disclosed that the Commission had established an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department, with its operations subject to mandatory human oversight.
On election security, the chairman said INEC, through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, would organise joint training for thousands of electoral security personnel.
He added that joint monitoring and undercover surveillance teams would work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to track vote-buying.
Amupitan warned that those involved in electoral offences would face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026.
He said INEC would require 707,384 ad hoc personnel for each of the two election days scheduled for January 16 and February 6, 2027, amounting to 1,414,768 engagements across 176,846 polling units.
He said recruitment through the INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff opened on September 18 and would close on November 18, 2026. The official INEC recruitment portal confirms the November 18 closing date.
Amupitan also raised concerns about the growing use of generative artificial intelligence, voice cloning and deepfake videos to spread false election information.
He urged media organisations to strengthen fact-checking, verify election-related claims with INEC before publication and avoid announcing privately collated results.
“In national elections, it is far more important to be right than to be first,” he said.
He announced that INEC’s Media Accreditation Portal would become operational before the end of October and encouraged media organisations intending to cover the elections to apply early.
Speaking on behalf of the Inspector-General of Police, Assistant Inspector-General of Police Alyonu Francis Idu said the police were conducting clearance operations in Kogi, Niger, Benue and Taraba states to address security concerns ahead of the elections.
Idu said the security situation had created “pockets of fear” in some areas but assured that the police were working to stabilise affected locations and promote peaceful elections.
The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Dr Yusuf Dantalle, commended INEC over the recently concluded Osun governorship election and urged the Commission’s officials to remain impartial.
Dantalle assured INEC of the support of political parties in strengthening the electoral process, while reminding security agencies of their constitutional responsibilities.
He also urged the media to verify information before publication and called on INEC to maintain regular engagement with political parties ahead of the elections.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Sen. Simon Lalong, said credible elections required the collective responsibility of 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 prompt enforcement of constitutional and electoral provisions to minimise avoidable litigation.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Amb. Gautier Mingot, described INEC’s task as “Herculean” and urged stakeholders to support the Commission, particularly through adequate funding.
He said the EU would deploy an expert electoral mission to monitor preparations for the election, the conduct of the polls and the post-election period.
Delivering the vote of thanks, the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs Rose Oriaran-Anthony, said INEC would consider the recommendations made by stakeholders and incorporate relevant proposals into its operational plans.
She described the engagement as a recommitment to the Nigerian project, stressing that the 2027 General Election belonged to all Nigerians and was not solely the responsibility of INEC.
