INEC Cannot Fail Nigerians In 2027 Elections – Amupitan

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Professor Joash Amupitan wants staff to work selflessly and uphold the highest standards of integrity, as the commission cannot afford to fail Nigerians in the upcoming 2027 general election.

Prof. Amupitan stated this in Minna, Niger State, during a working visit and interactive session with the commission’s management and staff at the state headquarters.

He warned staff against any form of compromise, noting that the attention of Nigerians and the international community—including the African Union and foreign Election Observation Missions were focused on Nigeria’s upcoming electoral process.

“Note that you are our ambassadors and you cannot afford to fail. The general election is coming up on Jan. 16 for the presidential and National Assembly elections, and Feb. 6 for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

“The whole world, not just Nigerians, is looking up to INEC. I just returned from an African Union meeting in Egypt involving all the EMBs (Electoral Management Bodies) in Africa, and everyone expressed their desire to come and monitor Nigeria’s elections.

Professor Amupitan assured staff that the commission was working assiduously to improve logistics, infrastructure, and transport fleets across all state offices ahead of the polls.

“We do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past. My goal is to ensure that we improve on our performance continuously.”

Reflecting on his journey nine months after assuming office, the INEC Chairman reaffirmed his commitment to rebuilding public trust in the commission through transparent, free, fair, and credible elections.

He stressed that the commission’s resolve to build a revitalised INEC capable of earning the confidence of Nigerians could only be achieved through the dedication and integrity of field personnel at the grassroots.

The INEC Chairman announced that while hard work would be recognised and rewarded, administrative misconduct would also attract strict sanctions.

“We must learn from the lessons of past elections. There should be no compromise whatsoever. We have decided to introduce rewards for hard work, but if there is any misconduct, there will be serious consequences.”

On welfare, the INEC chief revealed that the commission has commenced a comprehensive review of staff packages across the country to boost morale and foster optimal performance.

“When I assumed office, I discovered that the welfare package for INEC staff was among the lowest in the country.
“To boost your morale, the commission decided to take this issue head-on. When the results begin to manifest, you will appreciate our commitment.”

Professor Amupitan and members of the team used the visit to monitor the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise at a centre located within the office headquarters.

Kayode Oyedare, Edited By Grace Namiji