2027: Attack corps members, election officers, face penalties – INEC chairman warns

Ahead of the 2027 basic elections, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, has warned that anybody who assaults corps members or electoral officers throughout election duties will face the complete weight of the legislation.

Amupitan gave the warning on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in the course of the fee’s South-South zonal interactive assembly with workers and readiness evaluation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He warned in opposition to assaults on National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members deployed for election duties, saying these accountable would face authorized penalties.

“Anyone who threatens or harms INEC officials, including National Youth Service Corps members deployed for election duties, would face the full weight of the law,” he warned.

The INEC chairman additionally cautioned electoral officers in opposition to partisanship, negligence, absenteeism and monetary misconduct, warning that such conduct would entice disciplinary motion.

Amupitan disclosed that the South-South zone has 15,823,550 registered voters, together with 3,736,434 in Rivers State, stressing that no eligible voter needs to be disenfranchised via administrative negligence or logistical failure.

On preparations for the 2027 elections, he mentioned the fee was getting ready its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, together with 57,000 newly procured units, whereas auditing its digital end result administration techniques to enhance transparency in end result transmission.

He additionally mentioned INEC was inspecting considerations over suspicious images on the preliminary voters’ register printed on-line and would take corrective motion primarily based on verified findings.

The chairman urged the general public to take part within the show, claims and objections course of forward of the publication of the ultimate voters’ register scheduled for December 15, 2026.

He additional disclosed that INEC had finalised an settlement with the Maritime Transporters Union to assist the transportation of election personnel and supplies throughout the area’s creeks, coastal settlements and riverine communities.