2027 Elections: INEC Threatens Tough Action Against Attackers Of NYSC Members, Officials

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, has warned that attacks on electoral officials, including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployed for election duties, will attract the full weight of the law.

Amupitan gave the warning on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the South-South Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment ahead of the 2027 General Election.

He said the Commission was working with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to strengthen security arrangements and protect voters, electoral personnel and election materials.

The INEC chairman stressed that anyone who threatens or assaults election officials would be held accountable in accordance with the law.

He also charged electoral officers across the South-South geopolitical zone to uphold impartiality, discipline and accountability, warning that partisanship, negligence, absenteeism and financial impropriety would attract disciplinary measures.

According to him, the zonal readiness assessment was part of the Commission’s field-based approach to evaluating operational preparedness, identifying gaps and strengthening service delivery ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said INEC was drawing lessons from its conduct of governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, FCT Area Council elections and 16 by-elections to improve preparations for the nationwide exercise.

Amupitan disclosed that the South-South zone had 15,823,550 registered voters, with Rivers State accounting for 3,736,434, stressing that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised because of administrative negligence or logistical failures.

On electoral technology, he said the Commission was preparing its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including 57,000 newly procured devices, while auditing its electronic result management systems to strengthen transparency in result transmission through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

Addressing concerns over suspicious photographs in the preliminary voters’ register published online, the INEC chairman said the Commission was examining the records and would take corrective measures based on verified findings.

He urged Nigerians to participate in the ongoing display, claims and objections process ahead of the publication of the final voters’ register scheduled for December 15, 2026.

On the logistical challenges facing the region, particularly its creeks, coastal settlements and riverine communities, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maritime Transporters Union to facilitate the timely and secure movement of election personnel and materials.

The chairman also highlighted measures to improve staff welfare, including the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), enhanced salaries, hazard and field allowances, as well as a 150 per cent increase in monthly allocations for state offices, effective July 1, 2026.

Earlier, the Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) described the meeting as an important opportunity to assess the Commission’s preparedness and address outstanding operational challenges ahead of the 2027 elections.

The REC said credible elections required adequate logistics, trained personnel, functional technology, effective security coordination and sustained voter education.

He called for stronger collaboration between INEC headquarters and state offices, as well as inclusive participation by women, young people and persons with disabilities.

In her presentation, the Director of Planning and Monitoring, Mrs. Helen Ajayi, said the meeting was designed to assess the preparedness of the six South-South states, identify operational and logistical challenges and review departmental progress towards the 2027 General Election.

She said the assessment would cover election security, personnel training, voter education, stakeholder engagement, voter registration, Permanent Voter Card collection, information and communication technology, human resources and election operations.

Ajayi also emphasised the importance of Electoral Risk Management in identifying potential flashpoints and supporting preventive measures and security coordination.

She urged Electoral Officers and other field personnel to cooperate with the assessment teams, stressing the need for grassroots mobilisation and the involvement of traditional rulers in encouraging eligible citizens to participate in the elections.

Representatives of the six South-South states also presented reports on their levels of preparedness, highlighting operational progress, outstanding tasks and challenges requiring attention.

The meeting featured presentations by directors and representatives of INEC departments, including Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, Information and Communication Technology, Human Resources and Electoral Operations.

Amupitan formally declared the meeting open, urging electoral officials to demonstrate integrity, professionalism and commitment to delivering credible, transparent and inclusive elections in 2027.