The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that inadequate logistics and security coordination could undermine the conduct of the 2027 general elections, as it called for stronger collaboration with security agencies ahead of the polls.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, raised the concern in Owerri, Imo State, while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, themed, “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”
Amupitan stressed that effective election security required more than the deployment of security personnel, noting that inadequate logistics could also disrupt the electoral process even where peace and order had been successfully maintained.
He said the commission was working with government and security agencies to address operational challenges ahead of the 2027 elections, with security and logistics identified as key priorities.
According to him, INEC’s responsibilities cover elections at the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly levels, as well as voter registration and political party registration.
He added that the commission also has statutory powers to request the deployment of security agencies for elections and voter registration, making security an integral component of the electoral process.
The INEC chairman particularly highlighted the importance of voter registration, describing it as the foundation of credible elections.
He warned that an inaccurate or outdated voters’ register could affect the inclusiveness and credibility of the electoral process.
Amupitan also called for adequate funding of the commission, saying the scale of its responsibilities required sustained financial support.
He noted that INEC’s constitutional status as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund did not eliminate the practical constraints that could arise from limited resources.
“Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints,” he said.
The INEC chairman maintained that election expenditure, including security and logistics, should be regarded as a collective national responsibility because elections affect all three tiers of government.
He said adequate funding was particularly necessary for the movement of personnel and electoral materials across local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units.
Amupitan further called for stronger coordination through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which brings INEC together with relevant security and government agencies at the federal, state and local government levels.
He said lessons from recent off-cycle elections should inform preparations for 2027, particularly in intelligence gathering, logistics and inter-agency coordination.
The INEC chairman urged senior police officers to maintain professional neutrality, strengthen intelligence gathering and ensure seamless coordination among agencies to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
Also speaking, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, urged the Nigeria Police Force to provide strong institutional support and cooperation to INEC ahead of the 2027 elections.
She said effective policing and collaboration with the electoral commission remained critical to safeguarding the electoral process and ensuring free, fair, credible and transparent elections.
