The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said adequate funding is essential to providing the security and logistics needed for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan spoke on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo State, while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers.
The event focused on developing a Nigeria Police roadmap for effective management of security during elections.
Funding Critical to Election Security
Amupitan said INEC’s funding is constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
However, he noted that the scale of the commission’s responsibilities requires sustained financial support.
INEC is responsible for presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state House of Assembly elections. The commission also handles voter registration and the registration of political parties.
According to Amupitan, funding challenges can affect the commission’s ability to deploy electoral personnel and materials across local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units.
He said even when security agencies successfully maintain peace, poor logistics could still affect the conduct of elections.
INEC Chairman Highlights Voter Registration
The INEC chairman also described voter registration as the foundation of a credible electoral process.
He warned that an inaccurate or outdated voters’ register could affect the inclusiveness of elections.
Amupitan said the commission’s responsibilities cover elections across the three tiers of government, making election expenditure, including security costs, a collective national responsibility.
He added that security and logistics have become priorities under his leadership as the commission prepares for the 2027 polls.
Police Role in 2027 Elections
The 2027 election security preparations also involve the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which coordinates INEC, security agencies and other relevant government institutions.
Amupitan explained that ICCES has developed from a post-2011 election coordination arrangement into a structured mechanism operating at federal, state and local government levels.
The Inspector-General of Police participates at the national level, commissioners of police operate at the state level, while divisional police leadership represents the police at the local level.
He said stronger coordination among the agencies would be necessary ahead of the 2027 elections.
The INEC chairman also identified the Nigeria Police Force as the lead agency for election security.
He urged senior police officers to maintain professional neutrality, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen cooperation with other agencies.
INEC Wants Lessons From Previous Elections Applied
Amupitan said lessons from recent off-cycle elections should inform preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He specifically identified intelligence gathering, logistics and inter-agency coordination as areas that require attention.
He also called on relevant authorities to provide INEC and security agencies with the resources needed to perform their responsibilities effectively.
Amupitan expressed optimism that the Owerri retreat would produce an actionable roadmap for election security ahead of the 2027 polls.
INEC’s current timetable schedules the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
NBA President Calls for Police Support
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, also urged the leadership and operational personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to work closely with INEC.
She said effective policing support would be necessary to protect the electoral process and facilitate free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
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