The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that anyone who attacks, threatens or harms electoral officials, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed for election duties, will face the full weight of the law.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, issued the warning on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while charging electoral personnel in the South-South geopolitical zone to uphold impartiality, discipline, professionalism and accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan spoke at the South-South Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment, where he warned that electoral malpractice, partisanship, negligence, absenteeism and financial impropriety would attract appropriate disciplinary measures.
He described the assessment as part of the Commission’s field-based strategy for evaluating operational preparedness, identifying institutional weaknesses and strengthening service delivery ahead of the 2027 elections.
The INEC chairman said the Commission was drawing lessons from its recent electoral engagements, including governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections and 16 by-elections, to improve its preparations for the nationwide exercise.
He disclosed that the South-South zone had 15,823,550 registered voters, including 3,736,434 in Rivers State, stressing that the Commission would not tolerate administrative lapses or logistical failures capable of disenfranchising eligible voters.
On electoral technology, Amupitan said INEC was strengthening its technological infrastructure through preparations for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including 57,000 newly procured devices.
He added that the Commission was auditing its electronic result management systems to enhance transparency and reliability in the transmission of election results through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Addressing concerns over suspicious photographs reportedly identified in the preliminary voters’ register published online, the chairman said the Commission was examining the records and would take appropriate corrective measures based on verified findings.
He urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing display, claims and objections exercise to scrutinise the preliminary register and report irregularities before the publication of the final voters’ register scheduled for December 15, 2026.
The INEC chairman also identified the geographical peculiarities of the South-South region, particularly its creeks, coastal settlements and riverine communities, as significant logistical considerations for election planning.
To address these challenges, he disclosed that the Commission had finalised a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maritime Transporters Union to facilitate the timely and secure transportation of election personnel and materials to difficult-to-access communities.
On election security, Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s collaboration with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), emphasising intelligence-led planning and adequate protection of voters, electoral materials and personnel.
He particularly warned against any attempt to intimidate, assault or obstruct election officials, including NYSC members deployed to support the electoral process, insisting that offenders would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
Beyond operational preparedness, the chairman highlighted measures introduced to improve staff welfare and motivation, including the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), enhanced salaries, hazard and field allowances, and a 150 per cent increase in monthly overhead allocations to state offices, effective July 1, 2026.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Rivers State welcomed the INEC chairman, National Commissioners, fellow Resident Electoral Commissioners and other officials from the six South-South states.
The REC described the meeting as a critical platform for assessing electoral preparedness, identifying outstanding operational challenges and strengthening coordination ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He maintained that credible elections required deliberate planning, adequate logistics, trained personnel, functional technology, effective security coordination and sustained voter education.
He also called for stronger collaboration between the Commission’s headquarters and state offices, while emphasising the need for inclusive electoral participation by women, young people and persons with disabilities.
The REC urged participants to use the assessment to identify institutional weaknesses, establish clear priorities and reinforce accountability, noting that electoral credibility depended not only on activities undertaken on Election Day but also on the quality of preparations preceding it.
In her presentation, the Director of Planning and Monitoring, Mrs Helen Ajayi, said the meeting was designed to strengthen staff motivation, assess state-level preparedness, identify operational and logistical challenges and obtain departmental updates on preparations for the 2027 general elections.
She explained that situation reports from the six states would cover critical areas, including election security, staff training, voter education and stakeholder engagement.
According to her, departmental presentations would also provide updates on voter registration and Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection, information and communication technology, human resources and election operations.
Ajayi further underscored the importance of Electoral Risk Management (ERM) in identifying and mapping potential electoral flashpoints to support preventive interventions, improve security coordination and minimise disruptions during the elections.
She urged Electoral Officers and other field personnel to cooperate with assessment teams and maintain close collaboration with the Planning and Monitoring Department to ensure effective tracking of activities and prevent implementation gaps.
The director also highlighted grassroots mobilisation as a major component of the Commission’s preparations, particularly the involvement of traditional rulers in encouraging eligible citizens to participate in the 2027 elections.
She noted that the welfare initiatives announced by the chairman had received positive responses from staff, describing improved motivation as essential to effective service delivery.
As part of the readiness assessment, presentations were delivered by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi; Director of Voter Registry, Mr Isah Magaji Gummi; and Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, who represented the Director, Engr Victor Ikechukwu Igboh.
Other presentations were made on behalf of the Director of Human Resources, U. M. Bashar, by Mrs Evangeline Ugwa, and the Director of Electoral Operations, Mrs Oluyemi Adeyemi Showunmu, by Mrs Ayaeze Christina.
Representatives of the six South-South states also presented reports on their respective levels of preparedness, highlighting operational progress, outstanding assignments and challenges requiring the Commission’s attention.
Amupitan formally declared the zonal interactive meeting and readiness assessment open, urging electoral officials to demonstrate integrity, professionalism and commitment to delivering credible, transparent and inclusive elections in 2027.
The South-South engagement is part of INEC’s nationwide operational readiness assessment aimed at strengthening institutional coordination, addressing emerging challenges and ensuring that preparations for the 2027 general elections are implemented effectively and in accordance with the law.
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