The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it has no preferred candidate or political party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan made this declaration on Tuesday, August 19, 2026, in Abuja during the formal signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns. The event, organised by the National Peace Committee in partnership with the Kukah Centre, took place one day before presidential and National Assembly campaigns officially kicked off.
INEC's Commitment to Impartiality
Amupitan described INEC's role as that of an "uncompromising, impartial umpire" committed to giving all contestants equal footing throughout the electoral process. He pledged that the commission would not take sides in the 2027 elections, ensuring a level playing field for all political actors.
The chairman called on political parties and candidates to focus their campaigns on issues that directly affect the lives of ordinary Nigerians, rather than trading personal attacks or using language that could incite violence. He described elections as "competitive job interviews before the electorate," adding that voters deserved concrete debates on economic growth, national security, infrastructure, healthcare, education and social inclusion, with clear and measurable proposals from all contestants.
Warnings Against Misinformation and Violence
Amupitan raised concern over the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation, warning that unverified or premature declarations of results could trigger public panic and damage confidence in the electoral process. He specifically cautioned political parties, their digital media teams, and online supporters against spreading false information.
Beyond online conduct, the chairman warned against incitement, provocation along ethnic or identity lines, and the deployment of private armed groups, noting that such conduct could undermine the credibility of the elections even before a single vote is cast.
Scaling Up Logistics for 2027
On operational readiness, Amupitan said INEC was scaling up its capacity to manage roughly 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide. He noted that the commission had spent the past eight months improving its technology, logistics and personnel training, drawing lessons from recent governorship elections in Anambra, the FCT, Ekiti and Osun states.
He added that fresh transparency measures were being introduced into the result-management process specifically for 2027, though he did not provide further details on what those measures would entail. Amupitan closed his remarks by urging all political actors to compete with energy but without violence, stressing that a credible outcome depends on the cooperation of every stakeholder in the process.
Context: Osun Governorship Election
In related news, INEC earlier declared Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun state, as the winner of the 2026 Osun state governorship election. Adeleke, who won on the platform of the Accord Party, was followed by his rival in the APC, Bola Oyebamiji. The full results, as announced by INEC, showed that the candidate of the ADC, Najeem Salam, came a distant third.
