By Lateef Ibrahim
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sought to dispel concerns over its impartiality ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that it has no preferred candidate or political party.
INEC Chairman, Professor Josiah Amupitan, gave the assurance on Tuesday at the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the commission’s only interest is to conduct credible elections.
According to him, INEC would not interfere in the contest or seek to influence the outcome in favour of any political platform.
“INEC has no interest in who wins or loses any election. The commission does not have a candidate, nor does it favour any political platform,” Amupitan said.
The commission’s position comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with the contest expected to generate significant political competition across the country.
Amupitan also challenged political parties and their candidates to change the tone of electioneering by concentrating on policies and programmes rather than personal attacks and violence.
He urged politicians to make the 2027 campaign a competition over ideas and solutions to Nigeria’s problems.
“Let the 2027 election campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war,” the INEC chairman said.
He added that Nigerians were less interested in political insults and more concerned about practical measures that could improve their living conditions.
“Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions. They deserve to hear clear, concrete, and measurable manifestos,” he said.
Beyond the issue of political neutrality, Amupitan disclosed that INEC was already advancing its operational preparations for the 2027 polls.
He said the commission was expanding its logistics and administrative capacity to cope with the enormous manpower requirements of a nationwide election.
According to him, INEC is preparing to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units.
“I am pleased to report that our preparations for the 2027 elections are progressing with absolute precision. We are scaling our operational logistics to manage a massive nationwide ad hoc workforce of 1.4 million personnel across over 176,000 polling units,” he said.
The remarks place INEC’s neutrality and operational readiness at the centre of its preparations for what is expected to be one of Nigeria’s most closely watched electoral contests.
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