The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed speculation about a possible postponement of the 2027 general elections, assuring Nigerians that the polls will take place according to the published timetable.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the assurance on Saturday during a meeting with commission officials and Resident Electoral Commissioners from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Amupitan maintained that the commission had no plans to alter the election schedule, stressing that it was committed to meeting its statutory obligations.
“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he said.
The INEC chairman also announced that the final register of voters would be published on December 15, after the completion of the ongoing verification and correction exercise.
He disclosed that the commission had already made the preliminary voters’ register available online and at designated centres to enable eligible Nigerians to confirm their information and report errors.
According to him, INEC had received more than 5,000 applications for corrections involving personal details such as names and dates of birth, alongside over 600 objections that were undergoing review.
Amupitan further revealed that the commission had considered introducing a fresh voter revalidation exercise after he assumed office but decided against it because of the limited time remaining before the elections.
On preparations in the South-South, he identified Rivers as a priority state because of its large voting population.
The state has 3,736,434 registered voters, the highest in the region, followed by Delta with 3,525,988 and Edo with 2,865,263.
Akwa Ibom has 2,566,198 registered voters, while Cross River and Bayelsa have 1,928,978 and 1,200,691, respectively.
He charged electoral officials to ensure that administrative and operational challenges did not prevent eligible voters from exercising their franchise.
The INEC chairman also expressed confidence in the commission’s ability to organise credible elections, citing the experience gained from recent off-cycle governorship polls, particularly the Osun State election.
He said the experience from those elections would help the commission address challenges and strengthen its preparations for the 2027 polls.
On election security, Amupitan disclosed that INEC was working with security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS), to protect voters, electoral officials and election materials.
He stressed that Nigerians must be able to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the elections without fear for their safety.
Amupitan also dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence and computer algorithms could determine the outcome of the elections, insisting that the electorate would decide the results.
He, however, acknowledged the cybersecurity risks associated with emerging technologies and said the commission would explore ways to protect its digital infrastructure.
The INEC chairman warned commission employees and ad hoc electoral personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), against engaging in electoral misconduct, adding that offenders would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
He urged officials across the South-South to uphold professionalism and ensure that their conduct strengthens public confidence in the 2027 general elections.
