Ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Josiah Amupitan, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting a free, fair and credible election.
Amupitan made the commitment on Tuesday, August 18, while speaking at the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Addressing concerns over the neutrality of the electoral body, the INEC chairman insisted that the commission has no preferred candidate or political party and would remain impartial throughout the electoral process.
“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 urged political parties and their candidates to focus on issues and policies during the campaign, rather than resorting to inflammatory rhetoric and violence.
“Let the 2027 election campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war,” he said.
The INEC chairman added that Nigerians were more interested in practical solutions to the country’s challenges than political insults.
“Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions. They deserve to hear clear, concrete, and measurable manifestos,” said Amupitan, a professor of law.
He assured Nigerians that the commission would build on previous improvements in the electoral process and strengthen its preparations to deliver a credible 2027 election.
Amupitan disclosed that preparations for the election were already progressing, with the commission working to expand its operational capacity ahead of the nationwide exercise.
“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.
The INEC chairman’s remarks come as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with stakeholders expected to prioritise peace, issue-based campaigns and respect for the electoral process.