Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed plans to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 Polling Units nationwide for the 2027 General Election, as it received a Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PEAM) delegation of the International Republican Institute (IRI) at its Headquarters in Abuja. This was contained in the INEC Daily Bulletin, Volume 2, Number 481of August 18, 2026.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this while welcoming the delegation, led by the Institute’s President, Amb. Dr. Dan Twining on Tuesday, 18th August, 2026.
Prof. Amupitan said the Commission’s operational roadmap ahead of 2027 includes a continuous voter registration and register audit exercise, using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to eliminate duplicate records, alongside expanded logistics arrangements with transport unions aimed at guaranteeing punctual 8:30 a.m. openings at polling locations nationwide.
He said the Commission was also enhancing polling unit access and assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly voters.
The Chairman noted that the visit coincided with a pivotal point in the electoral calendar, coming three days after the Osun State Off-Cycle Governorship Election and a day ahead of the official commencement of campaigns and rallies for the 2027 General Election on Wednesday.
He said recent off-cycle elections, including in Ekiti and Osun, alongside several legislative by-elections, had served as operational stress tests for the Commission’s technology, logistics and security coordination, noting that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal had recorded upload rates above 98 per cent in recent contests.
Prof. Amupitan identified insecurity, localised electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech, disinformation and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) as key threats to voter confidence, adding that the Commission works with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to enforce electoral laws and prosecute offenders.
He disclosed that the Commission was, later on Tuesday, joining presidential candidates at the National Peace Committee’s signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns, aimed at fostering political civility ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Chairman described international observation missions as institutional partners rather than critics, and assured the delegation of the Commission’s transparency and cooperation ahead of the IRI’s International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) for 2027.
He reiterated that INEC holds no preference for any political party or candidate, stating that the Commission’s mandate remains the delivery of a free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive election reflecting the will of the Nigerian people.
Earlier, Dr. Twining commended the Commission for the successful conduct of the 2026 Osun State Governorship Election and praised Nigerians for their continued commitment to democracy.
“We know from our history of working here how committed Nigerians are to exercising their democratic rights. We saw and witnessed it. Very vigorous people here are really determined to make every vote count,” he noted.
He added that the international community was keen to support Nigeria’s preparations, noting, “We are here to hear from you how you’re planning before the elections, your outlook, your forecast, some of your concerns and anything that we, as the international community, can do to support a peaceful, credible and democratic election.”
“LET THE CAMPAIGN BE A MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS, NOT A THEATRE OF WAR,” INEC CHAIRMAN TASKS 2027 CANDIDATES
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has called on presidential candidates and political parties to conduct the 2027 General Election campaigns as a contest of ideas rather than a battle of hostilities.
Prof. Amupitan made the call on Tuesday 18th August, 2026, in Abuja at the formal signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns for the 2027 General Election, held at the International Conference Centre.
He said electoral contests in a constitutional democracy were not total wars but competitive job interviews before the electorate, and urged candidates to let the 2027 campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war.
The INEC Chairman said Nigerians deserved to hear clear, concrete and measurable manifestoes on how political parties intended to drive economic growth, strengthen national security, expand infrastructure, improve healthcare, modernise education and foster social inclusion.
He described the signing of the Accord as a significant departure from the politics of character assassination, identity manipulation and inflammatory rhetoric, noting that Nigeria’s challenges were too great for the election cycle to be spent in the trenches of bitterness.
Prof. Amupitan said the Commission’s moral authority to demand decorum from political actors rested on its own administrative and technological preparedness, disclosing that INEC was scaling its operational logistics to manage a nationwide ad-hoc workforce of 1.4 million personnel across over 176,000 polling units for the 2027 polls.
He, however, warned that technological safeguards and institutional efficiency could not substitute for political decorum, stressing that a process compromised by incitement, private armed squads or digital disinformation would fail long before Election Day.
The INEC Chairman urged the candidates and party leaders to cascade the spirit of the Accord to their state supporters, local government executives, ward canvassers and grassroots supporters, saying leadership attained at the expense of public peace, institutional integrity or human life was a hollow victory.
He restated that INEC had no interest in who won or lost any election, adding that the Commission would remain an uncompromising and impartial umpire, ensuring a level playing field for all contestants.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd), GCFR, represented by General Martin Luther Agwai, said the Issue-Based Campaign Peace Accord was first established in 2019 to promote political campaigns and rallies based on issues rather than sentiment.
He said the Accord called on political parties and candidates to compete fairly on ideas, policies and programmes, debate opposing views respectfully, mobilise supporters peacefully, protect voters, respect electoral institutions and reject hate speech, incitement and misinformation.
General Agwai said the National Peace Committee had, since 2015, facilitated 30 peace accords, comprising five at the national level ahead of the 2015, 2019 and 2023 general elections, and 25 at the sub-national level, alongside independent peace architecture established in 23 states.
He disclosed that the Committee operated an Election Security Information Hub, which monitors electoral offences and broader security developments and produces regular threat assessments to support early warning, preventive engagement and evidence-based decision-making.
General Agwai appealed to political parties, candidates, campaign councils and spokespersons to campaign on issues of concern to Nigerians, avoid the spread of false and fake news, promote tolerance for differences of opinion and comply with the spirit and letter of the Accord.
The signing ceremony was attended by presidential candidates and running mates for the 2027 General Election; National Commissioners of INEC and the Secretary to the Commission; national chairmen of registered political parties; heads of security agencies; and representatives of the diplomatic corps and civil society organisations.
151 DAYS TO 2027 GENERAL ELECTION: INEC CHARGES OFFICERS ON ROBUST VOTER COMMUNICATION, BUILDS ON OSUN SUCCESS
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has charged its voter education and publicity officers nationwide to intensify communication efforts ahead of the 2027 General Election, with the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, declaring that the Commission was then just 151 days away from the first set of the Elections.
National Commissioner Haruna gave the charge on Tuesday 18th August, while declaring open a joint implementation meeting of INEC’s Voter Education & Publicity (VEP) and Gender & Inclusivity (G&I) Departments, held in Abuja, and attended by Heads of Voter Education Departments from all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the meeting was convened to agree on the information and communication strategies that would guide the Commission’s outreach to over 100 million eligible voters ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Assembly elections on February 6.
Outlining the Commission’s approach, Commissioner Haruna said an effective communication programme must answer five basic questions: why the Commission is engaging the public, who its target audiences are, what its message is, how the message is delivered, and how well the effort ultimately performs. He described the exercise as one that, while conceptually simple, remains complex given the scale and diversity of Nigeria’s electorate.
He charged officers to ensure that INEC’s messaging remains accurate, truthful, timely and consistent, and stressed that officers must be firmly grounded in the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and the Commission’s guidelines and Communication Policy to be credible before the public.
The National Commissioner pointed to the recently concluded Osun off-season Governorship Election, widely commended by local and foreign observers, as proof of the Commission’s growing capacity, and urged participants to build on that success as they prepare for the 2027 General Election.
In her welcome remarks, the Director of Voter Education & Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, said both departments had received approval to roll out activities for the general election and described the Heads of Department as the drivers of voter sensitisation and enlightenment at the grassroots.
She said the meeting was designed to ensure uniformity in the implementation of Commission-approved programmes and to clarify timelines and expectations for field officers nationwide.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Mr Adedayo Oketola, described the VEP and G&I Departments as the human face and voice of the Commission and pledged the Chairman’s full institutional support for the outcomes of the meeting, including sustained engagement to counter misinformation and reinforce public confidence in the Commission’s technology and inclusivity commitments.
The meeting forms part of INEC’s broader preparations for the 2027 General Election.
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