The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any change to the timetable for the 2027 general elections, insisting that preparations are progressing and voting will take place as planned.
Titiansloaded reports that INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Saturday during a meeting with commission staff and Resident Electoral Commissioners from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Amupitan said the election schedule was determined by the commission’s statutory framework and would not be altered, dismissing claims by some political parties that the polls could be postponed.
“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he said.
The INEC chairman said Rivers State would receive particular attention because of its strategic importance and its position as the South-South state with the largest number of registered voters.
He listed Rivers’ registered voters at 3,736,434, followed by Delta with 3,525,988, Edo with 2,865,263, Akwa Ibom with 2,566,198, Cross River with 1,928,978 and Bayelsa with 1,200,691.
The six states collectively have 15,823,550 registered voters, according to the figures presented by Amupitan. He urged electoral officials to ensure that no eligible voter was denied the opportunity to vote because of operational lapses.
Amupitan also said the voters’ register had been made available online and at designated centres for public scrutiny. INEC, he added, had received more than 5,000 requests for corrections, including changes to names and dates of birth, as well as over 600 objections.
He said the commission was reviewing the submissions and planned to publish the final voters’ register on December 15.
The INEC chairman explained that the commission had considered a revalidation exercise for the register after he assumed office but abandoned the proposal because of its proximity to the 2027 elections.
Amupitan expressed confidence in INEC’s ability to deliver peaceful and credible polls, citing lessons from recent off-cycle governorship elections, particularly the Osun State election, which he said recorded a high turnout and received positive assessments from local and international observers.
He said the commission would apply lessons from those elections to strengthen its preparations for the general polls.
On election security, Amupitan disclosed that INEC was working with agencies including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to protect voters, electoral officials, ad hoc personnel and election materials.
He said the commission wanted Nigerians to feel safe when they came out to vote after collecting their Permanent Voter Cards.
The INEC chairman also dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence or algorithms could determine the outcome of the elections, saying the decision would rest with Nigerian voters.
He acknowledged the cybersecurity risks associated with emerging technology and said the commission was taking steps to protect its digital systems from attacks.
Amupitan urged INEC staff in the South-South to carry out their duties responsibly, warning that permanent and ad hoc personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps, who attempted to manipulate the process would face sanctions in accordance with the law
