ABUJA, Nigeria — The head of Nigeria’s electoral body has described security as the “first and last mile” of the democratic process as he formally sought police support for the 2027 General Elections.
Professor Joash Amupitan SAN, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), met with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, on Wednesday to coordinate strategies for the upcoming polls. The visit comes as the commission activates its electoral timetable, which Prof. Amupitan identified as a significant “security trigger” for the country.
Electoral Timeline Confirmed
Preparations are now officially underway for the next major cycle of elections. Prof. Amupitan outlined the following key dates for 2027:
- Presidential and National Assembly: Scheduled for 16 January 2027.
- Governorship and State Houses of Assembly: Scheduled for 6 February 2027.
The Chairman also noted that political parties must adhere to Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2026, which restricts candidate nominations to either direct primaries or consensus.
Addressing Security Threats
The commission identified several persistent challenges that threaten to undermine public confidence in the vote. Prof. Amupitan called for thorough risk assessments to identify “flashpoints” across the country, citing electoral malpractices, vote trading, and the general scale of national insecurity as primary concerns.
“Our success depends on moving from reactive policing to proactive intelligence coordination,” the INEC Chairman said, emphasizing the role of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
Police Response
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, assured the commission that the Nigeria Police Force has already begun strategic threat assessments and intelligence mapping.
Mr. Disu highlighted several priority areas for the force:
- Neutralising Threats: Proactive attention to political violence, illegal arms proliferation, and voter intimidation.
- Digital Integrity: Monitoring for cyber manipulation and misinformation.
- Impartiality: A warning that any officers found engaging in partisan conduct would face disciplinary and legal consequences.
- Training: Intensive sessions for officers on human rights compliance and crowd control.
The IGP also called for the early and wide dissemination of the election timetable to ensure effective logistics coordination and personnel training. He concluded by announcing plans to engage political parties through peace accords to promote peaceful conduct throughout the electoral cycle.
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