…INEC Boss Unveils Plans, Says Commission Has Moved From Planning To Execution
The National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Dr. Dantele Yusuf, has charged the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, to leave behind a legacy of free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
Yusuf gave the charge yesterday in Abuja at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by INEC to mark 100 days to the 2027 general election.
The meeting brought together political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, election observers, development partners, the media and other stakeholders to review preparations for the polls as the country enters the final stretch of the electoral timetable.
While commending INEC for what he described as the credible conduct of the recent Osun State governorship election, the IPAC chairman said political parties would expect the same standard in the 2027 general election.
He urged Amupitan to remain committed to electoral integrity and resist political interests or pressures that could undermine the credibility of the process.
Yusuf reminded the INEC chairman that his tenure at the commission would eventually end, stressing that he would remain a Nigerian after leaving office and would therefore be judged by the legacy of his stewardship.
He also commended Amupitan for convening the stakeholders’ engagement, describing it as the first of its kind, and urged INEC to sustain regular consultations with political parties as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.
According to him, continuous engagement would enable stakeholders to raise concerns, resolve emerging challenges and build confidence in the electoral process ahead of the polls.
Yusuf also called on security agencies to step up preparations to ensure a peaceful election, while urging INEC’s ad-hoc personnel to maintain professionalism and reject attempts by desperate politicians to manipulate them.
He said the credibility of the 2027 election would depend on the collective commitment of INEC, political parties, security agencies, election officials and other stakeholders to uphold the rules.
Meanwhile, Amupitan provided an extensive update on the commission’s preparations, declaring that INEC had moved from the planning stage into execution.
The INEC chairman disclosed that nine of the 14 major statutory milestones contained in the commission’s revised timetable and schedule of activities had been completed.
He said the three phases of Continuous Voter Registration conducted between August 2025 and July 2026 produced 10,772,421 new registrations after biometric verification, bringing the National Register of Voters to 103 million.
Amupitan said the Register of Voters would be displayed nationwide from October 9 to 15, 2026, allowing citizens to verify their details and raise claims and objections.
He added that the distribution of Phase One Permanent Voter Cards to Local Government Centres would begin on Friday, October 9, while the register for the 2027 general election is expected to be presented to political parties on December 15.
On technology, the INEC chairman said the commission had acquired 57,000 additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, while further upgrades to its technological infrastructure were ongoing.
He also disclosed that INEC had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department.
According to him, AI-driven auditing and anomaly-detection tools are being integrated into results verification and cybersecurity processes, with mandatory human oversight.
Amupitan further announced that INEC would conduct a nationwide mock accreditation and election simulation exercise in November to test personnel, equipment and network protocols under real operational conditions.
On logistics, he said the commission had finalised an integrated multi-modal deployment strategy involving more than 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats for the movement of election personnel and materials across the country.
He added that INEC was deepening collaboration with security and financial intelligence agencies to combat electoral violence, vote-buying and illicit campaign spending.
With 100 days to the first ballot, preparations for the 2027 general election have entered a critical phase, with attention increasingly focused on the credibility of the process, security, logistics, technology and the neutrality of election officials.
For IPAC, the expectation remains that INEC will maintain regular consultations with political parties and ensure that all stakeholders play by the rules as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 polls.
