The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has called on staff of the electoral body to intensify efforts toward delivering free, fair, and credible elections, stressing that restoring public confidence in the commission remains a top priority ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan made the appeal on Friday during a visit to the commission’s secretariat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he met with INEC staff after inspecting the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across some local government areas in the state.
Addressing the staff, the INEC chairman said the commission must work collectively to address the trust deficit among Nigerians regarding the electoral process. He noted that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend largely on the commitment and integrity demonstrated by INEC officials at all levels.
According to him, the commission is determined to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions and ensure that the will of the people is accurately reflected in future elections.
“As we prepare for 2027, we must recognise that we share the responsibility of serving the nation and safeguarding democracy. Although INEC currently faces a trust deficit, the actions we take at every level—from Abuja to the states—must demonstrate transparency and accountability,” he said.
Amupitan urged staff members to carry out their duties with honesty and professionalism, particularly during ongoing political activities such as party congresses. He warned that the conduct of electoral officials today would shape the credibility of the next general election.
He emphasised that Nigerians deserve elections that are transparent and credible, adding that the commission must rebuild public confidence so that citizens believe that election outcomes truly reflect the people’s mandate.
The INEC chairman also revealed that the commission plans to conduct a voter revalidation exercise aimed at updating and sanitising the national voters’ register. The exercise, he said, would help remove the names of deceased individuals and other ineligible persons from the register in order to maintain accurate electoral data.
In addition, Amupitan encouraged INEC staff to actively promote the ongoing voter registration exercise by engaging communities and encouraging eligible citizens to register.
He stressed that voter education should not be left solely to the commission’s Voter Education and Publicity Department, but should involve the collective effort of all staff members.
“We must mobilise and encourage Nigerians of voting age to register and participate in the electoral process while assuring them that their votes will count,” he said.
Earlier, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Obo Effanga, commended the chairman for personally visiting voter registration centres and interacting with staff.
Effanga assured that the state office of the commission would remain committed to delivering credible elections in line with INEC’s mandate ahead of the 2027 polls.
During the inspection, Amupitan visited several voter registration centres in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo, where officials raised concerns about network connectivity issues and login challenges affecting the registration process. The chairman acknowledged the complaints and assured staff that steps were being taken to address the technical difficulties.
Despite the challenges, he expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of young people participating in the voter registration exercise and called for intensified voter education campaigns to further boost participation across the state.
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