INEC, UN Strengthen Partnership for Peaceful, Credible 2027 General Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission's headquarters as part of efforts to strengthen support for peaceful and credible elections ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections.
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (SRSG), Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, at the Commission's headquarters.
Simão said the visit was aimed at demonstrating the United Nations' support for INEC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections, noting that the Commission faces a significant responsibility in managing the electoral process in a country confronted by terrorism and other security challenges.
He stressed that elections should not become another source of violence or instability for Nigeria but should instead serve as instruments for promoting peace, democratic stability and national development.
According to him, the United Nations recognises the enormous responsibility before the Commission and wants INEC to know that it is not alone in undertaking the task of organising peaceful elections.
"We are here, pleased to give you moral support, that you are not alone in facing this mammoth task," he said.
He added that the United Nations would maintain a presence during the elections, not as observers, since it had no mandate to undertake election observation, but to encourage positive conduct and support an atmosphere conducive to peaceful participation.
Simão further noted that peaceful and successful elections in Nigeria would have implications beyond the country's borders, serving as an inspiration to other countries in West Africa and contributing to regional stability and integration.
Responding, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, welcomed the delegation and appreciated the United Nations for its interest in Nigeria's electoral preparations and willingness to support the Commission.
Prof. Amupitan said the Commission was committed to ensuring that the 2027 general elections would be credible, with efficient logistics, transparent result management and timely declaration of results.
He stressed that INEC's overarching objective was to restore public confidence in the electoral process, strengthen operational efficiency and uphold the integrity of every vote.
The Chairman disclosed that the Commission had registered approximately 103 million voters, with young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of the electorate.
He explained that the Commission was undertaking a comprehensive cleaning of the voter register through the claims and objections process, while the final register was scheduled for publication on December 15, 2026.
According to him, technology-enabled verification had also helped the Commission identify approximately 1.5 million registrations with irregularities for removal from the register, as part of efforts to strengthen its credibility.
Prof. Amupitan further disclosed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) was ongoing across the country,
On technological preparations, he said INEC would continue to strengthen the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) for public access to polling-unit results.
The INEC Chairman also identified misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation as major threats to electoral integrity, warning that the growing misuse of artificial intelligence and coordinated online campaigns could undermine public confidence in the electoral system.
He therefore called for stronger collaboration with the United Nations in promoting information integrity, countering electoral disinformation and strengthening public awareness initiatives.
Amupitan also outlined other areas of prospective cooperation, including conflict prevention, election security, early-warning mechanisms, stakeholder dialogue, peacebuilding and the protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, youths and persons with disabilities.
He disclosed that INEC was also planning a mock accreditation and election exercise to test its electoral technologies ahead of the 2027 polls, identify possible challenges and strengthen public confidence in the process.
The Chairman said the Commission was working with relevant security agencies to identify areas vulnerable to electoral violence and other security threats, with a view to developing appropriate preventive measures.
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