• Amupitan decries low voter turnout, canvasses upgrading of communications infrastructure
There are challenges in three critical areas ahead of the 2027 elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.
The electoral umpire Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) listed them as poor communication infrastructure, voter apathy and misinformation/low civic engagement.
He spoke at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja.
Amupitan described the country’s weak telecommunications network as one of INEC’s toughest battles.
He noted that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) can only function effectively where network coverage is reliable.
The INEC Chairman said despite the Commission’s advances in electoral technology, several structural and systemic challenges continue to threaten credible polls.
He said: “With over 176,000 Polling Units, some in remote areas, achieving real-time upload of results to IReV remains one of our biggest operational obstacles.
“A tool like the BVAS is only as good as the network it runs on.”
He added that the Commission is deepening engagement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and network providers while “actively exploring alternative technologies and building system redundancy to bridge these gaps.”
The INEC Chairman reaffirmed that technology has “fundamentally redefined” Nigeria’s elections.
He explained that BVAS has ensured that only properly accredited voters cast ballots, thereby closing the door on over-voting and other manual manipulations.
He said IReV has “opened the electoral process to the world,” offering real-time transparency and helping to build trust.
However, he cautioned that “technology is not a panacea,” stressing that credible elections require collective commitment by political parties, the media, security agencies, civil society, and voters.
Amupitan said: “Our democracy is battling the corrosive effects of misinformation, rigging, vote-buying, and violence.
“Securing our democracy requires a proactive, multi-sectoral approach.”
The INEC Chairman highlighted low voter turnout as another critical threat to the credibility of the 2027 elections.
He said the 27 per cent turnout recorded in the 2023 general elections should concern all stakeholders.
“This is a stark reminder that apathy cannot be solved by technology alone,” he said.
He cited Anambra State’s recent off-cycle election as a breakthrough in mobilisation.
After INEC extended the PVC collection period across all 326 Registration Areas, PVC collection rose from 63.9 to 98.8 per cent before election day.
“This shows what is possible when stakeholders work together. More voters can and must be mobilised,” he said.
Amupitan announced that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) has recorded 2,685,725 completed registrations nationwide as of the latest update.
Of these, 1,576,137 were online pre-registrations, while 1,109,588 were completed through physical capture.
States leading in new registrations include Osun (208,357), Kano (159,669), Sokoto (152,650), and Imo (145,561).
Borno (123,835) and Lagos (123,484) also posted strong figures.
The INEC helmsman described the numbers as “a testament to rising political awareness.”
He urged civil society and the media to sustain the momentum as the first quarter of CVR concluded on December 10.
He said: “The drive for inclusion and participation finds its strongest expression in our commitment to CVR.
“Every eligible Nigerian must be registered before the exercise ends.”
Concern over vote-buying, inducement
Amupitan also expressed concern over the escalating influence of money in elections.
He warned that vote-buying undermines citizens’ choices and damages the legitimacy of elected officials.
“To secure democracy, technological integrity must be matched by political accountability,” he said.
INEC, he noted, has intensified collaboration with law enforcement through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
Measures include strategic deployment of security officers, covert intelligence operations at polling units, and strengthened monitoring of campaign financing.
“This is a multi-sectoral fight requiring collective resolve. Civil society must also hold political actors to account,” he said.
He described the Situation Room as “indispensable” in advancing democratic consensus by monitoring compliance, promoting civic education, and ensuring adherence to electoral procedures.
According to the INEC boss, credible elections are the “non-negotiable foundation of democracy,” and credibility itself depends on public trust built on shared commitment to the rules.
He said: “When citizens believe their votes count, they empower themselves to hold leaders to the highest standards.
“This synergy – consensus, credible elections, and accountable governance – is the future we must strive for.”
Amupitan said INEC is committed to further strengthening digital infrastructure, simplifying its interfaces to reduce human error, and harnessing emerging technologies to improve voter access.
“Building consensus for credible elections is not a destination; it is a continuous journey of innovation, transparency, and resilience,” he said.
He concluded with a note of optimism: “The future of Nigerian democracy is not in doubt.
“By affirming our commitment to the rule of law and the sanctity of the vote, and by consistently implementing an electoral process beyond reproach, we will build a democratic system that is both just and accountable.”
