The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has urged staff of the electoral body to prepare for the responsibility of delivering free, fair, and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
Amupitan said credible elections remain the only way to address the trust deficit currently surrounding the commission and rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
He made the remarks on Friday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while addressing INEC staff at the commission’s secretariat after inspecting the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise in some local government areas.
According to the chairman, the commission is committed to strengthening and deepening Nigeria’s democratic process while restoring the trust of citizens before the next general elections in 2027.
“As we build up to 2027, I want to announce that we are in it together to serve Nigeria and strengthen democracy. Though INEC is already having a trust deficit, whatever we are doing in Abuja, we have to cascade it here,” Amupitan said.
He urged staff members to carry out their responsibilities with honesty and professionalism, especially as political parties begin to hold internal congresses and other activities.
“We should work hard to restore the trust. We know state congresses are ongoing and some of you are part of it — please, any activity you are handling, do it with every honesty and utmost courtesy,” he added.
Amupitan stressed that the success of the 2027 elections would depend on the actions and integrity of INEC officials today.
“What you are doing today will determine the 2027 elections. What we owe Nigerians is free, fair and credible elections; let their expectations be met,” he said.
The INEC chairman also revealed plans for a voter revalidation exercise aimed at ensuring the voter register contains accurate data. He explained that the exercise would remove the names of deceased persons and others who are no longer eligible to vote.
“The register should be sanitised,” he stated.
Amupitan further encouraged all staff to actively promote awareness about the ongoing voter registration exercise, noting that the responsibility should not be limited to the commission’s Voter Education and Publicity unit.
“Encourage Nigerians to come out and register while assuring them that their votes will count,” he said.
In his response, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Obo Effanga, thanked the chairman for visiting the state and interacting directly with staff members.
Effanga assured that the commission in the state would work to deliver on its mandate and support preparations for credible elections in 2027.
During the visit, the INEC chairman also inspected registration centres in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo, where some officials reported challenges including network issues and login difficulties.
He assured staff that the technical problems would be addressed and expressed satisfaction with the turnout of young people participating in the voter registration exercise.
Amupitan also called for increased voter education to encourage more eligible citizens to register ahead of future elections.
