The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians and political parties that the commission will remain neutral in the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan said INEC has no preferred candidate or political party and would not interfere with the outcome of the elections.
He gave the assurance on Tuesday at the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“INEC has no interest in who wins or loses any election. The commission does not have a candidate, nor does it favour any political platform.” Amupitan said.
He gave the assurance during the signing of the first National Peace Accord for the 2027 elections, urging political parties and candidates to focus on issues and present clear solutions to the challenges facing Nigerians.
The INEC chairman warned against personal attacks, inflammatory rhetoric, misinformation and premature declaration of election results, saying such actions could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“Let the 2027 election campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war.” He said.
He also called on political actors to respect electoral laws and conduct their campaigns peacefully, stressing that the commission’s responsibility was to provide a transparent, credible and level playing field for all contestants.
Amupitan further urged candidates to address key issues, including the economy, security, education, healthcare and infrastructure, rather than resorting to character assassination.
“Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions. They deserve to hear clear, concrete, and measurable manifestos.” He said.
He said INEC was already strengthening its logistics, technology and personnel ahead of the 2027 elections, while noting that credible elections require the cooperation of all stakeholders.
“I am pleased to report that our preparations for the 2027 elections are progressing with absolute precision. We are scaling our operational logistics to manage a massive nationwide ad hoc workforce of 1.4 million personnel across over 176,000 polling units.”He said.
