The Independent National Electoral Commission has reinforced its collaboration with the United Nations to ensure that Nigeria’s 2027 general elections are conducted peacefully, credibly, and transparently.
The commitment was made when the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mr Leonardo Santos Simão, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), at the commission’s headquarters.
Simão said the visit was aimed at demonstrating the UN’s support for INEC as it prepares for the 2027 elections, noting that the commission faced enormous responsibilities amid terrorism and other security challenges confronting the country.
He stressed that elections should not become another source of violence or instability but should serve as instruments for promoting peace, democratic stability and national development.
pment. The UN representative acknowledged the significant responsibility facing INEC and emphasized that the commission has the UN’s full support in its efforts to organize peaceful elections.
“We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task,” he said.
Simão added that the UN would maintain a presence during the elections, not as observers, since it had no mandate to undertake election observation, but to encourage positive conduct and support an atmosphere conducive to peaceful participation.
He noted that peaceful and successful elections in Nigeria would have implications beyond the country’s borders, serving as an inspiration to other West African countries and contributing to regional stability and integration.
In his response, Amupitan welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation to the UN for its interest in Nigeria’s electoral preparations and willingness to support the commission.
He assured the delegation that INEC was committed to conducting credible elections in 2027 through efficient logistics, transparent result management and timely declaration of results.
The INEC chairman said the commission’s priority was to restore public confidence in the electoral process, improve operational efficiency and safeguard the integrity of every vote.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC had registered approximately 103 million voters, with Nigerians aged between 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of the electorate.
He explained that the commission was conducting a comprehensive review of the voter register through the claims and objections process, adding that the final register was scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026.
on December 15, 2026. He noted that technology-enabled verification had helped the commission identify around 1.5 million registrations with irregularities, which would be removed from the register to enhance its accuracy and credibility.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards was ongoing across the country.
On technological preparations, Amupitan said the commission would continue to strengthen the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for voter accreditation and the INEC Result Viewing Portal for public access to polling-unit results.
He identified misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation as major threats to electoral integrity, warning that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and coordinated online campaigns could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
He, therefore, called for stronger collaboration with the UN to promote information integrity, tackle electoral disinformation and strengthen public awareness initiatives.
Amupitan also identified other areas of possible cooperation, including conflict prevention, election security, early-warning mechanisms, stakeholder dialogue, peacebuilding and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, youths and persons with disabilities.
He disclosed that INEC was planning a mock accreditation and election exercise to test its electoral technologies ahead of the 2027 polls, identify potential challenges and boost public confidence in the process.
The chairman added that the commission was working with relevant security agencies to identify areas vulnerable to electoral violence and other security threats, with a view to developing appropriate preventive measures.