Elections Will Lack Credibility Without Adequate Security — Amupitan
Oru Leonard
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has warned that elections cannot be regarded as credible when voters feel unsafe to take part in the process.
Amupitan made the statement in Abuja during the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), for 2026. The meeting brought together heads and representatives of key security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
He noted that 2026 will be a demanding electoral year, featuring Area Council elections, several bye-elections and off-cycle governorship polls, all ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, these activities call for intensified security preparations, effective intelligence sharing and strong collaboration among relevant agencies.
“With the 2027 general election drawing closer, public expectations are increasing. Elections cannot be credible if citizens do not feel safe enough to participate,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman praised security agencies for their contributions to the successful conduct of the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election held on November 8, 2025, describing the exercise as a model for future elections.
Speaking on the forthcoming Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, Amupitan disclosed that more than 1.6 million registered voters are expected to participate across 2,822 polling units. He added that INEC has already distributed non-sensitive election materials and begun the training of ad-hoc staff ahead of the polls.
