Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has said threats, intimidation or violence targeting electoral personnel will be met with the full force of the law as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Warning issued at South-South readiness meeting
Amupitan delivered the warning on Saturday, October 31, 2026, during the South-South Zonal Readiness Assessment and Interactive Staff Engagement in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
He said the commission would not accept assaults on temporary election workers, members of the National Youth Service Corps, or INEC’s permanent staff, stressing that their protection is fundamental to a credible electoral process.
Security risks, he said, would not reduce INEC’s commitment to carrying out its constitutional mandate. Anyone seeking to injure electoral workers, he warned, would face prosecution.
The South-South event was INEC’s fifth zonal review exercise, following earlier assessments in the South-West, North-West, South-East and North-East geopolitical regions.
INEC has adopted a field-based approach intended to reinforce election planning. Amupitan said successful polls would depend on close coordination throughout all 123 local government areas across the six states of the South-South.
Early-warning security network expands
The commission has shifted from a model centred mainly on security deployments on polling day to an intelligence-led, early-alert framework known as the ICCES Tentacle.
The arrangement is designed to deepen cooperation among security institutions at federal, state and local-government levels, extending to Registration Area Centres. Its central objectives are to:
- Detect potential risks before they disrupt electoral activity.
- Safeguard election officials and other personnel.
- Ensure voters can reach polling locations safely.
About 60 major operational formations, headquarters and state commands are participating through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, or ICCES. The regional structure includes the military, navy, air force, police and other security bodies operating in the South-South.
The region has 15,823,550 registered voters, equivalent to 15.30 per cent of Nigeria’s national voter roll. Rivers State accounts for 3,736,434 of those voters across its 23 local government areas.
Election timetable and logistics preparations
INEC has completed nine of the 14 major statutory tasks set out in its timetable for the 2027 elections.
The nationwide exercise will involve more than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units. The scheduled polling dates are:
- January 16, 2027, for presidential and National Assembly elections.
- February 6, 2027, for governorship and State Assembly contests.
The commission has also finalised an arrangement with the Maritime Transporters Union to support the secure and prompt delivery of personnel and election materials to coastal and riverine communities.
Operational pickup vehicles have been supplied to state and local-government offices to strengthen logistics capacity.
Staff pay, conduct and neutrality requirements
On staff welfare, Amupitan said INEC introduced the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure from January 1, 2026. Monthly overhead funding for state offices was increased by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026.
He called on electoral officers to uphold professional standards, impartiality and discipline. The commission will impose serious penalties for misconduct, including:
- Negligence or failure to report for duty.
- Financial impropriety.
- Partisan conduct.
He further cautioned that weak administrative delivery—including delayed opening of polling units and unresolved technology problems—could fuel false information and erode public trust.
Staff were reminded that Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026 requires them to take an Oath of Neutrality. Amupitan urged personnel to comply with electoral laws and operating guidelines, saying INEC would not lower its standards.
