The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the commission has no preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections, stressing that its loyalty remains to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the choice of the electorate.
Amupitan also urged personnel of the Armed Forces deployed for election duties to maintain strict political neutrality, uphold the rule of law and treat all political parties and candidates fairly.
He spoke at a seminar titled “The Role of the Armed Forces of Nigeria Personnel in Conducting Free, Fair and Credible Elections: The 2027 General Elections in Perspective.”
Represented by INEC’s Director of Legal Services, Mr Al-Hassan Umar (SAN), the INEC chairman said the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend not only on effective electoral management but also on the professionalism and commitment of all institutions involved in the process.
“The Commission has no candidate in any election. Our allegiance is solely to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the freely expressed will of the Nigerian people,” he said.
Amupitan stressed that military personnel assigned to election security must demonstrate impartiality, respect citizens’ rights and remain accountable while carrying out their responsibilities.
“The Armed Forces serve the Nigerian State and the Constitution—not any political party, candidate or individual. Every interaction between military personnel and citizens during elections should reflect courtesy, discipline, restraint and professionalism,” he added.
The INEC chairman outlined five key priorities for achieving credible elections: stronger collaboration among election security stakeholders, expanded election-specific training and simulation exercises, intelligence-led security operations, strict adherence to the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for security personnel, and sustained professionalism, transparency and accountability.
According to him, election security must be proactive and driven by intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination, strategic communication and timely deployment of resources.
He noted that Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, organised political violence, cyber threats, misinformation and attacks on critical infrastructure, require coordinated action by all security agencies.
Amupitan said INEC would continue to strengthen its partnership with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to assess risks, develop operational strategies and address emerging threats.
He also recognised the important role of the Armed Forces in supporting election logistics, particularly through strategic mobility and air transportation to remote locations.
According to him, the Nigerian Air Force has continued to play a critical role in moving sensitive electoral materials to hard-to-reach communities, ensuring that geographical barriers do not prevent eligible Nigerians from exercising their right to vote.
