INEC Chairman Says 2027 Election Security Requires Adequate Funding

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, has said adequate funding is essential to securing the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan made the statement while stressing the need for effective collaboration between INEC and security agencies to ensure that voters, electoral officials and materials are adequately protected throughout the electoral process.

He said election security was not limited to the deployment of personnel on election day, but required sustained planning, intelligence gathering, logistics and coordination before, during and after the polls.

According to him, the scale of the 2027 elections makes early preparation and adequate resources necessary for security agencies to effectively discharge their responsibilities.

The INEC chairman said security agencies must be sufficiently equipped and funded to respond to threats, protect polling units and safeguard the movement of electoral materials.

He also emphasised the importance of inter-agency cooperation, particularly through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES.

Amupitan had previously described security as a critical component of election logistics, noting that the credibility of elections depends partly on the ability of security agencies to create an environment where citizens can participate without fear.

He said the commission would continue to work with relevant security institutions to identify potential threats and strengthen security arrangements ahead of the 2027 polls.

The INEC chairman also called for proactive intelligence gathering and coordinated responses to electoral threats, including political violence, vote-buying, disruption of polling and attacks on election personnel.

The 2027 general elections are scheduled to hold in February, with INEC already implementing preparatory activities and engaging political parties, civil society organisations, the media and security agencies.

Amupitan stressed that the success of the elections would require collective responsibility from government institutions, political parties, security agencies, the media and citizens.

He said adequate funding, proper planning and effective coordination would remain central to INEC’s efforts to deliver peaceful and credible elections in 2027.