The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against violence and inflammatory rhetoric as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the warning on Monday in Abuja during a Strategic Workshop for Editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in collaboration with the electoral commission.
Amupitan said the commission would not tolerate political competition degenerating into violence, intimidation, hate speech or other actions capable of threatening the peace and security of the country. He warned that political parties, candidates and campaign managers implicated in such acts would face sanctions and possible prosecution.
According to him, INEC has activated an early-warning framework through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to monitor incidents of political violence, thuggery and dangerous campaign rhetoric. He stressed that no political ambition justified the loss of a Nigerian life.
The INEC chairman also raised concerns over the use of weapons and threats during political campaigns. He disclosed that he had been shown evidence involving a political candidate allegedly campaigning while displaying a firearm, as well as threats against members of the commission.
Amupitan urged politicians and their supporters to exercise restraint, stressing that elections are periodic processes for choosing leaders and should not become a source of bloodshed or instability.
He also disclosed that INEC was taking steps to strengthen preparations for the 2027 elections, including the acquisition of 57,000 new BVAS devices, improvements to result transmission and plans to monitor illegal campaign spending. The commission’s national voter register, he said, has now surpassed 103 million registered voters.
With the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, the commission has continued to call on political actors, the media and other stakeholders to support peaceful and credible elections.
