By Peter Omopo
The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned that Nigeria’s 2027 general elections could be at risk if adequate attention is not given to national security, stressing that credible polls depend on a stable environment.
Chairman of the commission, Joash Okechukwu Amupitan, made the remarks at the 2nd Annual Lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja.
Amupitan said elections and security should no longer be treated as separate concerns, describing them as “two sides of the same coin of national stability.”
He noted that with the release of the 2027 election timetable, Nigeria is entering a critical phase, adding that the scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, and governorship polls on February 6, 2027, represent not just political milestones but potential security flashpoints.
The INEC chairman identified key threats to the electoral process, including social media volatility, artificial intelligence-driven disinformation, and Foreign Information Manipulation (FIMI), alongside existing challenges such as insurgency, communal conflicts, and logistical constraints.
He warned that without a secure environment, the credibility of elections could be undermined, noting that declining voter turnout—from 53 per cent in 2011 to 26 per cent in 2023—poses a significant risk to democratic stability.
Amupitan highlighted the commission’s deployment of technological tools such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal as safeguards against electoral malpractice.
He also called for stronger collaboration among security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to ensure peaceful and credible polls.
Earlier, President of the Alumni Association, Mike Ejiofor, described the lecture theme, “Credible Elections and National Security in Nigeria,” as timely, emphasising the need for sustained dialogue on the intersection of democracy and security.
