Votes being counted during Nigeria's 2023 presidential election in Gombe. INEC says preparations for the 2027 polls are on schedule (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), has urged traditional rulers in the South-East to help ensure the peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections, Daily Post Nigeria reported on Wednesday.
Amupitan gave the charge in Enugu during the commission's National Zonal Physical Assessment Tour of the South-East, undertaken as part of comprehensive preparations for the 2027 general election. During a courtesy visit, he met the Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council and Chairman of the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu.
"While INEC manages the technical and administrative aspects of elections, the moral authority to ensure peaceful voting resides within our traditional institutions," Amupitan told the royal fathers, according to Blueprint Newspapers. He said the commission could not secure peaceful elections on its own.
The INEC chairman asked the monarchs to deploy their influence in three areas: mobilising voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards, fighting voter apathy and vote buying, and preventing electoral violence before, during and after the polls, The Point reported.
He said the zonal assessment tour followed a series of electoral exercises conducted under his leadership, including three off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, one Federal Capital Territory Area Council election and 16 bye-elections across the country.
The commission's work with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security is already producing results, Amupitan said, disclosing the recent arrest of the alleged kingpins behind the kidnapping of National Youth Service Corps members who form the backbone of INEC's ad hoc personnel. "The DSS will arraign those behind these evil acts within the week," he said.
On Tuesday, the readiness assessment formally took evidence from the five South-East states. Representatives from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo presented updates on their readiness and outlined challenges ahead of the vote, NewsQuest reported from the Enugu session.
Amupitan told staff at the meeting that the commission had completed much of its planning checklist and was moving into the procurement phase for sensitive election materials. INEC is expanding its vehicle fleet to move personnel and materials more smoothly, has begun training staff on new guidelines under the amended Electoral Act, and has upgraded its information technology systems, the report said.
The Enugu meetings came shortly after the commission marked 100 days to the first ballot of the 2027 general election at a world press conference in Abuja, where it reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and strict adherence to its statutory schedule. The message from Enugu was blunt: the machines can be ready, but peaceful voting needs the communities, and their kings, to own it.
What did INEC's chairman tell South-East traditional rulers?
Professor Joash Amupitan urged the monarchs in Enugu to use their influence to mobilise Permanent Voter Card collection, fight voter apathy and vote buying, and prevent electoral violence around the 2027 general elections, Daily Post Nigeria and Blueprint Newspapers reported.
How ready is INEC for the 2027 elections?
The commission says preparations are on schedule: its planning checklist is largely complete, procurement of sensitive materials is beginning, staff training on the amended Electoral Act is under way, vehicle fleets are being expanded and IT systems upgraded, according to NewsQuest's report of the Enugu readiness meeting.
What has INEC conducted under Amupitan so far?
Three off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, one Federal Capital Territory Area Council election and 16 bye-elections, the INEC chairman told the Enugu gathering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does INEC involve traditional rulers in elections?
Because the commission says its authority is technical, not moral: traditional institutions can reach voters at the grassroots in ways state agencies cannot, from mobilising PVC collection to discouraging vote buying and violence.
When is the first 2027 election?
INEC recently marked 100 days to the first ballot of the 2027 general election at a national stakeholder engagement in Abuja, where it reaffirmed its commitment to its statutory election timetable.
Sources: Daily Post Nigeria (Oct 21, 2026); Blueprint Newspapers (Oct 20, 2026); The Point (Oct 20, 2026); NewsQuest (Oct 21, 2026).
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