The Election Must Hold As Scheduled – Amupitan Sends Strong Message Ahead Of 2027 Polls

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has ruled out any plan to change the timetable for the 2027 general elections, insisting that the polls will take place as officially scheduled.

Amupitan made this known during an interactive meeting with INEC staff members from the six South-South states, alongside an assessment of the commission’s preparedness for the forthcoming elections in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Addressing participants, the INEC chairman maintained that the commission would adhere strictly to its statutory timetable, stressing that there was no justification for altering the scheduled dates.

According to Amupitan, INEC remains committed to organising credible elections in accordance with the provisions of the law.

“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he stated.

The electoral chief also disclosed that Rivers State would receive special attention during the 2027 elections because it has the highest number of registered voters in the South-South geopolitical zone.

He revealed that Rivers has 3,736,434 registered voters, followed by Delta State with 3,525,988, Edo with 2,865,263, Akwa Ibom with 2,566,198, Cross River with 1,928,978 and Bayelsa with 1,200,691.

According to the figures presented by the INEC chairman, the six states have a combined total of 15,823,550 registered voters, making the region an important area of focus for the commission ahead of the elections.

Amupitan emphasised that INEC officials in Rivers must ensure that no eligible voter is denied the opportunity to participate in the electoral process because of operational shortcomings.

He also announced that the commission would publish the final voters’ register on December 15, assuring that outstanding issues would be addressed before the deadline.

The INEC chairman further disclosed that he had initially considered conducting a revalidation exercise for the voters’ register after assuming office but abandoned the proposal because of concerns that it would take place too close to the 2027 general elections.

He expressed confidence in INEC’s ability to organise peaceful, transparent and credible elections, noting that recent off-cycle governorship elections had provided valuable lessons for the commission.

Amupitan particularly referenced the Osun State governorship election, saying the experience had strengthened his confidence in the commission’s capacity to manage the challenges associated with conducting elections.

He added that INEC was determined to deliver elections that would contribute positively to Nigeria’s democratic development rather than create further divisions or instability.