The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has dismissed speculations that the 2027 general elections could be postponed, reaffirming that the polls will take place as scheduled.
Speaking during an interactive session with INEC officials from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Amupitan said the commission had already fixed the electoral timetable and would not alter it for any reason.
“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he stated.
His remarks come amid concerns and allegations from some political groups claiming that INEC was considering a shift in the election date. However, the INEC chairman insisted that preparations for the elections were progressing as planned and that the commission remained committed to conducting credible and lawful polls.
Amupitan disclosed that Rivers State would receive special attention during the election preparations because it has the largest number of registered voters in the South-South region, with 3.74 million voters. He noted that the six states in the zone collectively account for over 15.8 million registered voters.
He also revealed that INEC had received more than 5,000 requests for voter registration corrections and over 600 objections, all of which are being reviewed ahead of the publication of the final voters’ register on 15 December.
According to the chairman, the commission considered revalidating the voters’ register after he assumed office but abandoned the plan because it would have been too close to the general elections.
Amupitan expressed confidence in INEC’s ability to organise peaceful, transparent and credible elections, citing lessons learned from recent off-cycle governorship elections, particularly in Osun State, which he described as successful and widely regarded as credible.
On security, he said INEC was collaborating with the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies to ensure the safety of voters, election personnel and electoral materials.
The INEC chairman also dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence could influence the outcome of the elections, stressing that only Nigerian voters would determine the winners.
“It is the people of Nigeria that will decide the outcome of the elections and not AI or any algorithms,” he said.
He further warned INEC staff and ad hoc personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), against compromising the electoral process, stating that anyone found guilty of electoral misconduct would face sanctions under the law.
Amupitan maintained that the commission’s primary goal is to deliver an election that strengthens democracy and advances national development.
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