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Torkwase Nyiekaa
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has stressed that effective security remains the backbone of peaceful, credible and inclusive elections, insisting that voters must feel safe to freely participate as Nigeria enters a busy electoral year in 2026.
Amupitan made the assertion on Friday in Abuja while delivering remarks at the first regular meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for 2026, held at the INEC Conference Room.
According to him, the increasing tempo of electoral activities ahead of the 2027 General Election places greater responsibility on security agencies to intensify planning, intelligence gathering, deployment and inter-agency coordination to safeguard the electoral process.
He noted that elections scheduled for 2026 include Area Council elections, bye-elections and off-cycle governorship polls, warning that credible elections are impossible in an atmosphere of fear, intimidation or violence.
“Public confidence in elections is largely determined by how safe citizens feel to come out and vote. Without adequate security, the credibility of any election is fundamentally threatened,” the INEC chairman said.
Amupitan commended security agencies for their professionalism during the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election held on November 8, 2025, describing the peaceful conduct of the poll as a sharp departure from the state’s past history of election-related security challenges.
He attributed the success of the election to effective personnel deployment, proactive intelligence coordination and firm responses to emerging threats, which enabled INEC to declare a winner on the first ballot.
“This outcome would not have been possible without the commitment of security personnel who protected voters, election officials, materials and critical infrastructure,” he added.
Turning to ongoing electoral activities, Amupitan disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections would hold on Saturday, February 21, 2026, involving 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six Area Councils.
He said security agencies must strictly enforce electoral laws as campaigns end on February 19, prevent the deployment of political thugs, curb vote-buying and ensure the safety of voters and election personnel on Election Day.
The INEC chairman explained that the Commission has concluded major preparations for the polls, including the delivery of non-sensitive materials to Area Councils and the training of Electoral Officers and Election Security Personnel.
He added that the training of ad-hoc staff commenced on February 6 and would end on February 15, while BVAS devices are being configured ahead of the election. He also announced that a mock accreditation exercise would be conducted on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in 289 selected polling units across the six Area Councils.
However, Amupitan stressed that administrative readiness alone was not enough without robust security coordination, urging agencies to maintain constant communication, rapid response mechanisms and professionalism, especially in flashpoint areas.
He further disclosed that bye-elections would be conducted on the same day as the FCT polls in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies of Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies of Kano State, noting that simultaneous elections across multiple states require heightened vigilance.
Looking ahead, he revealed that the Ekiti State governorship election is scheduled for June 20, 2026, while Osun State will go to the polls on August 8, 2026, adding that early security planning is already underway to forestall avoidable challenges.
Amupitan also announced plans by INEC to embark on a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election, alongside the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, stressing that both exercises would require strong security support, particularly in areas prone to disruption.
He urged members of ICCES to remain neutral, professional and committed, noting that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy largely depends on the ability of security agencies to protect the electoral process from start to finish.
“We must remain vigilant, proactive and united in purpose as we navigate this demanding electoral year,” he said.
