The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to conduct the 2027 general elections impartially without giving advantage to any political party or candidate outside the law.
The commission’s National Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) made the commitment in a keynote address at the Second Public Lecture of the Ezinwanne Leadership Foundation in Owerri, the Imo State capital, at the weekend.
The lecture was themed: “Democratic Governance and the Challenge of Electoral Credibility in Nigeria.”
Amupitan, who was represented by the Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Chukwuemeka Ibeziakor, said the legal framework for the polls comprises the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2026, the commission’s regulations and guidelines, and binding judicial decisions. He stressed that INEC’s compliance with these instruments “remains absolute and not optional.”
The INEC chairman said institutional independence must be understood in practical terms. According to him, it requires freedom from improper political interference, adequate and timely resources, professional election personnel, and the courage to make difficult decisions according to law.
He added that independence carries accountability, stressing that INEC must explain its procedures, preserve verifiable records, submit to lawful judicial scrutiny, and keep an open relationship with citizens and stakeholders.
According to the electoral umpire, Independence without accountability would be insufficient, while accountability without independence would be ineffective.
Amupitan noted that INEC cannot deliver credible elections alone and called on political parties and other stakeholders to contribute to the success of the upcoming polls.
“No electoral commission, however diligent, can single-handedly deliver credible elections,” he said, adding that parties determine much of the quality of competition before voters reach the polling unit, in respect to transparent nominations, respect for internal rules and responsible handling of disputes strengthen public confidence.
By contrast, he argued that manipulated primaries, unreliable membership records, or candidates emerging through processes inconsistent with the law could produce disputes that compromise the stability of the electoral calendar.
He said the Electoral Act 2026 places obligations on parties, including requirements on membership registers and candidate nomination. INEC, he said, is bound to apply the law and authoritative judicial interpretations to the facts and records before it.
While some decisions may be inconvenient to particular interests, he argued, an electoral umpire’s integrity is measured by fidelity to lawful standards, not the popularity of individual outcomes. Parties, he said, should treat compliance as a continuing institutional duty rather than a last-minute hurdle.
The chairman said the commission has published its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election. Under the revised dates, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will follow on February 6, 2027.
Amupitan appealed to party leaders and aspirants to strengthen internal democracy, respect statutory timelines, avoid inflammatory rhetoric and channel grievances through lawful mechanisms.
“Political competition is legitimate; intimidation, inducement and violence are not,” he said in effect, noting that the quality of a general election is inseparable from the integrity of the processes by which contestants are presented to voters.
He also commended the Foundation’s President and Founder, C. O. C. Akaolisa; its Chairman and Trustees; the guest lecturer, Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri, (SAN) and the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN).
Delivering the lecture, Obiaraeri urged INEC to adopt a system of continuous voter registration instead of the current practice of opening and closing registration periods. He also stressed the need for polling unit results to be transmitted electronically from polling units to guarantee the credibility of outcomes.
He further called on the National Assembly to establish an Electoral Offences Commission, and advocated diaspora voting and greater transparency across the electoral process.
Ahamba, who chaired the event, urged lawyers to live up to expectations, especially when entrusted with national assignments.
In his remarks, Akaolisa traced governorship elections in Imo State since 1999 and blamed INEC for what he described as obvious lapses, urging the commission to get it right this time.
He also warned aspirants in the state’s off-cycle governorship election to stop waiting for Governor Hope Uzodimma to give them the nod, insisting that the governor is not ready to do so.
Amby Uneze in Owerri
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