INEC Assures ECOWAS of Credible 2027 Elections as Voter Register Surpasses 103 Million
INEC Assures ECOWAS of Credible 2027 Elections as Voter Register Surpasses 103 Million
INEC Assures ECOWAS of Credible 2027 Elections as Voter Register Surpasses 103 Million
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of its commitment to conducting credible, transparent and peaceful 2027 general elections, disclosing that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has surpassed 103 million.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the assurance while receiving the ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission, led by former Vice-President of Sierra Leone, Victor Bockarie Foh, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan described the 2027 general elections as an important milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999, noting that their successful conduct would contribute to democratic stability and consolidation across West Africa.
He disclosed that INEC had completed nine of the 14 major statutory milestones in its revised timetable for the elections. He added that three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise had been concluded, alongside the nationwide display of the Preliminary Register of Voters.
Giving an overview of the exercise, the INEC chairman said the Commission would deploy personnel and technological resources across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, covering 774 Local Government Areas, 8,809 Registration Areas and 176,846 polling units.
He said the Commission had also adopted a field-driven approach to assessing its preparedness through zonal readiness assessment tours across the country’s geopolitical zones.
On technology, Amupitan reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation, alongside electronic result management systems.
He also highlighted the introduction of the eEC8A electronic verification platform, which he said would complement result verification and transparency through the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
On election security, he said INEC was working with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to strengthen security arrangements ahead of the polls.
Amupitan called for stronger collaboration with ECOWAS in deploying long-term and short-term election observers, sharing technical expertise and addressing challenges such as electoral disinformation, logistics and inclusive voter education.
He also urged the regional organisation to sustain engagement with political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to promote peaceful campaigns and respect for democratic commitments.
In his remarks, the Head of the ECOWAS Pre-Election Fact-Finding Mission, Victor Bockarie Foh, said the visit was part of the organisation’s established practice of assessing electoral preparedness in member states approaching general elections.
Foh, alongside the Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division and Permanent Secretary of ECONEC, Mr Serigne Mamadou Ka, explained that the mission was being undertaken in line with Article 31 of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, Article 53 of the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework and relevant decisions of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.
He said the mission was designed to assess the preparedness of electoral stakeholders and identify areas where ECOWAS could provide support.
The delegation explained that its engagements would include political party leaders and coalitions, government representatives, INEC, civil society organisations, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
The ECOWAS representatives stressed that the exercise was not limited to assessing the electoral commission but would also examine the wider political and institutional environment ahead of the elections.
Reaffirming the Commission’s neutrality, Amupitan said INEC under his leadership had no preferred candidate or political party.
“INEC under my watch has no candidate and no political party. Our sole allegiance is to the rule of law, the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate, and the democratic progress of our nation,” he said.
INEC Assures ECOWAS of Credible 2027 Elections as Voter Register Surpasses 103 Million
