The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash O. Amupitan (SAN), has warned electoral officials against partisanship, negligence, absenteeism and financial impropriety, declaring that misconduct will attract disciplinary action ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan gave the warning on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at the South-South Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he charged officials to uphold impartiality, discipline and accountability in the discharge of their duties.
He said the readiness assessment was part of the Commission’s field-based approach to evaluating operational preparedness, identifying gaps and strengthening service delivery ahead of the nationwide elections.
The INEC chairman cited the Commission’s experience in conducting governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, FCT Area Council elections and 16 by-elections as part of the lessons informing preparations for 2027.
Amupitan disclosed that the South-South geopolitical zone had 15,823,550 registered voters, including 3,736,434 in Rivers State, stressing that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised because of administrative negligence or logistical failure.
On electoral technology, he said INEC was preparing its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including 57,000 newly procured devices, while auditing its electronic result management systems to strengthen transparency in the transmission of results through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Addressing concerns over suspicious photographs appearing on the preliminary voters’ register published online, Amupitan said the Commission was examining the records and would take corrective action based on verified findings.
He urged eligible voters and other members of the public to participate in the display, claims and objections process ahead of the publication of the final voters’ register scheduled for December 15, 2026.
On the logistical challenges of conducting elections in the South-South, the INEC chairman identified the region’s creeks, coastal settlements and riverine communities as areas requiring special arrangements.
He disclosed that the Commission had finalised a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maritime Transporters Union to ensure the timely and secure transportation of election personnel and materials to difficult-to-reach communities.
On election security, Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s collaboration with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), emphasising intelligence-led planning and the protection of voters, electoral materials and personnel.
He warned that anyone who threatened or harmed electoral officials, including National Youth Service Corps members deployed for election duties, would face the full weight of the law.
The INEC chairman also stressed the need for strict compliance with electoral laws, regulations and guidelines, describing discipline and professionalism as essential to the credibility of the electoral process.
He further highlighted measures introduced to improve staff welfare, including the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), enhanced salaries, hazard and field allowances, as well as a 150 per cent increase in monthly allocations for state office overheads, effective July 1, 2026.
Amupitan said the Commission remained committed to strengthening its operational capacity and ensuring that electoral officials were adequately prepared to conduct credible elections in 2027.
