INEC Seeks Media Partnership To Rebuild Public Trust Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), has acknowledged a growing “trust deficit” between the electoral body and Nigerians, urging the media to play a critical role in restoring public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Executive Committee of the INEC Press Corps in Abuja on Wednesday, Amupitan said rebuilding trust would require deliberate efforts to reshape public perception through transparent and accurate reporting.

The meeting marked the first formal engagement between the commission’s leadership and the press corps since Amupitan assumed office in late 2025, succeeding Mahmood Yakubu.

Amupitan commended journalists covering the electoral body for their professionalism, stressing that INEC is fully aware of the skepticism surrounding Nigeria’s electoral process.

He called on the media to partner with the commission in effectively communicating its efforts toward transparency and credibility to Nigeria’s over 200 million citizens, noting that public understanding of the electoral process is key to rebuilding confidence.

Earlier, Chairman of the INEC Press Corps, Segun Ojumu, described Nigerian elections as a “huge logistical challenge,” adding that successful outcomes depend on collaboration among all stakeholders.

Ojumu, who led the delegation alongside Assistant Secretary John Onah and Welfare Director Chux Ukwuatu, also praised the INEC chairman for what he described as a transparent leadership style since taking office.

The meeting comes as INEC intensifies preparations for a series of key elections under the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026.

The commission has scheduled the 2027 general elections for January 16, 2027, for presidential and National Assembly polls, and February 6, 2027, for governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

Before the general elections, INEC will conduct off-cycle governorship polls in Ekiti State on June 20, 2026, and Osun State on August 8, 2026, widely seen as critical tests of the commission’s readiness for the national exercise.

Amupitan reaffirmed his commitment to delivering “free, fair, and inclusive” elections as Nigeria approaches what is expected to be an intensive electoral cycle.