Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has stated that elections cannot be considered credible if voters do not feel safe participating in them.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja during the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security for 2026, Amupitan highlighted the pivotal role of security agencies in protecting Nigeria’s electoral process.
The meeting brought together heads and representatives of security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies.
Describing 2026 as a “very busy electoral year,” he noted that Nigeria will host Area Council elections, bye-elections, and off-cycle governorship elections in the lead-up to the 2027 general election. According to him, these developments demand meticulous security planning, intelligence gathering, and coordination among agencies.
“As we approach the 2027 general election, public interest and expectations continue to rise. While the commission has finalised its timetable in line with the law, the scale and complexity of the elections demand early and sustained security engagement. Elections cannot be credible if citizens feel unsafe to participate,” Amupitan said.
He commended security agencies for their role in ensuring the peaceful conduct of the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election on November 8, 2025, just two weeks after he assumed office.
Despite the state’s history of election-related security challenges, the professionalism of security personnel created a calm environment that allowed INEC to declare a winner on the first ballot.
Looking ahead to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, Amupitan revealed that 1,680,315 registered voters will cast their ballots across 2,822 polling units in six area councils.
He said INEC had completed the batching and delivery of non-sensitive materials, trained electoral officers and election security personnel, and commenced training of ad-hoc staff from February 6 to February 15.
The commission will also conduct a mock accreditation exercise on Saturday, February 7, in 289 selected polling units across the six area councils, with details to be published on INEC’s website.
He, however, emphasised that administrative preparation alone cannot ensure credible elections without strong security coordination. He urged agencies to maintain professionalism, particularly in identified flashpoints.
Amupitan also disclosed that bye-elections would take place alongside the FCT polls in Ahoada East II and Khana II state constituencies in Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo state constituencies in Kano State.
He added that INEC will soon launch a nationwide voter revalidation exercise alongside ongoing Continuous Voter Registration in preparation for the 2027 general election, noting that security protection will be essential for facilities, personnel, and voters, especially in volatile areas.
“The credibility of elections and Nigeria’s democracy depends largely on the ability of security agencies to secure the entire electoral process from start to finish,” he stressed.
Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser and Co-Chair of ICCES, Mr. Hassan Abdullahi, Director of Internal Security in the Office of the NSA, congratulated INEC and security agencies on the successful Anambra governorship election, describing it as a “positive benchmark for future polls.”
He noted that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), as the lead agency for election security, was already mobilising resources to ensure peaceful conduct of the FCT Area Council elections, bye-elections in Rivers and Kano States, and upcoming off-cycle governorship elections.
In his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by Commissioner of Police in charge of Elections, CP Abayomi Shogunle, reaffirmed the NPF’s commitment to extensive deployment for all elections nationwide, assuring that adequate security will continue to be provided for INEC personnel, facilities, and materials across the country.
