The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again assured Nigerians that it will remain neutral, fair and transparent as preparations gather pace for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance during a visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The visit formed part of the commission’s stakeholder engagement and activities ahead of its zonal readiness assessment and interactive meeting with staff as it prepares for the 2027 polls.
Amupitan described traditional institutions as important stakeholders in the electoral process, citing their influence and reach at the grassroots.
He said elections were fundamentally about the social contract between citizens and those entrusted with public office, stressing that public trust was essential to the success of democracy.
The INEC chairman also said the commission had started preparations early because of the size and complexity of conducting nationwide elections in Nigeria.
According to him, INEC has moved away from last-minute preparations and is already testing, auditing and strengthening its operational systems ahead of the elections.
Amupitan assured the Emir that the commission would not favour any candidate or political party.
“We have no candidates, we have no political party, we have no interest other than the sovereign will of the people of Nigeria,” he said.
The INEC chairman also urged traditional rulers to help promote peaceful and issue-based campaigns ahead of the elections and discourage young people from being used for political violence.
He said elections should not be treated as “do-or-die affairs” but as a peaceful expression of citizens’ choices.
The commission has also continued its nationwide readiness assessment as it strengthens its administrative, technological and logistical systems ahead of the 2027 polls. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The Emir of Zazzau, in response, urged INEC to ensure fairness, security, timely distribution of election materials, proper testing of electoral equipment and prompt announcement of results.
He also appealed to political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly and avoid hate speech and actions capable of threatening peace and national cohesion.
