The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is working with the Nigeria Police Force to identify, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of pre-election violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this during a panel session at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Owerri, Imo State.
The conference focused on developing a roadmap for effective management of security during elections.
Amupitan identified insecurity in some parts of the country as a major concern, warning that violence could disenfranchise eligible Nigerians if voters are prevented from participating in elections.
He said INEC was collaborating with the police, the lead agency for election security, to develop strategies for conducting elections in volatile areas.
The INEC chairman also urged political parties and their supporters to focus their campaigns on issues rather than personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric.
He said law-enforcement agencies would be expected to arrest, investigate and prosecute anyone found culpable of offences under the Electoral Act.
No Predetermined Results
Amupitan also dismissed concerns that the outcome of the 2027 elections had already been predetermined, reaffirming INEC’s commitment to conducting a transparent and credible election.
He said the commission’s responsibility was to ensure that Nigerians were given the opportunity to freely participate in the electoral process.
Primary Litigation Won’t Stop Elections
On ongoing court cases arising from political party primaries, the INEC chairman said such litigation would not prevent the 2027 elections from taking place.
He explained that disputes over party primaries were matters for the courts and could proceed through the judicial process up to the final appellate level.
According to Amupitan, INEC would comply with whatever final decisions were reached by the courts.
INEC Targets Vote Buying
The commission also disclosed plans to strengthen intelligence gathering to tackle vote buying, which Amupitan said increasingly takes place outside polling units.
He said the commission was considering a joint task force involving the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General’s office and security agencies to strengthen enforcement.
Amupitan noted that INEC itself does not have powers of arrest or investigation, making collaboration with law-enforcement agencies essential.
He added that the commission would focus on logistics, result management and addressing weaknesses identified during previous elections.
The INEC chairman said recommendations from the Owerri retreat would be forwarded to the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for further consideration.
He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, credible and inclusive 2027 general election.
