2027: 'There'll be penalties' – Amupitan warns towards assault on INEC officers

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has warned that anybody who threatens, intimidates or assaults the Commission’s personnel will face the complete penalties of the regulation forward of the 2027 normal elections.

Amupitan gave the warning on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in the course of the South-South Zonal Readiness Assessment and Interactive Staff Engagement held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He stated the Commission wouldn’t tolerate assaults towards its ad-hoc workers, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members or everlasting staff, including that their security remained important to conducting credible elections.

According to the INEC chairman, safety challenges wouldn’t weaken the Commission’s dedication to fulfil its constitutional duties. He warned that “anyone who attempts to harm electoral workers would be prosecuted.”

Amupitan defined that the South-South engagement was the fifth zonal evaluation carried out by the Commission, following comparable workouts within the South-West, North-West, South-East and North-East geopolitical zones.

He stated INEC had adopted a field-focused technique to strengthen electoral preparations, including that credible elections required efficient coordination throughout all 123 Local Government Areas within the six South-South states.

On election safety, the chairman disclosed that the Commission had moved away from counting on election-day safety preparations in the direction of an early-warning and intelligence-driven method generally known as the ICCES Tentacle.

He defined that the framework would strengthen cooperation amongst safety companies from the nationwide and state ranges all the way down to native governments and Registration Area Centres. Its main priorities embrace figuring out threats, defending electoral personnel and making certain voters have protected entry to polling items.

Amupitan disclosed that about 60 main operational formations, headquarters and state instructions have been concerned within the safety association beneath the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES. The community contains army, naval, air pressure, police and different safety companies working throughout the South-South.

He stated the area had “15,823,550 registered voters, representing 15.30 per cent of Nigeria’s national voter register. Rivers State alone accounts for 3,736,434 registered voters spread across 23 local government areas.”

Providing an replace on preparations, Amupitan stated INEC had “completed nine out of the 14 major statutory activities outlined in its timetable for the 2027 elections.”

Amupitan famous that the train would cowl greater than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling items nationwide. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, whereas governorship and State Assembly elections will happen on February 6, 2027.

The chairman additionally disclosed that INEC had concluded an settlement with the Maritime Transporters Union to facilitate the protected and well timed motion of election personnel and supplies to riverine and coastal communities. He added that operational pickup automobiles had been distributed to state and native authorities workplaces to enhance logistics.

On workers welfare, Amupitan stated the Commission had launched the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure, efficient January 1, 2026. He additionally introduced a 150 per cent enhance in month-to-month overhead allocations to state workplaces, which took impact on July 1, 2026.

He urged electoral officers to take care of professionalism, neutrality and self-discipline, warning that negligence, absenteeism, monetary misconduct and partisan behaviour would appeal to critical sanctions. He additionally cautioned that poor administrative efficiency, together with late opening of polling items and unresolved technological challenges, might encourage misinformation and injury public confidence.

The INEC chairman reminded workers of the provisions of Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates an Oath of Neutrality. He urged them to comply with electoral legal guidelines and tips in finishing up their duties, including that the Commission wouldn’t compromise its requirements.