Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
The Department of State Services (DSS) has uncovered and arrested suspects allegedly involved in a plot targeting ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this in Enugu during the commission’s South-East Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 general elections.
According to INEC’s Daily Bulletin, Amupitan said the commission had identified potential threats to its ad hoc personnel and taken measures to neutralise them.
He added that those allegedly behind the plot had been identified and arrested by the DSS and would soon face prosecution.
The INEC chairman also announced plans to convene a security conference soon to address emerging threats and other security concerns ahead of the elections.
He said the commission had strengthened its partnership with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to improve coordination among agencies responsible for election security.
According to him, INEC is collaborating with security agencies at the national and state levels, using its Election Risk Management tools to develop a robust, intelligence-driven security framework.
Amupitan, however, identified declining public trust, voter apathy and the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation as major challenges facing the commission.
He warned that fake news, unverified rumours and deepfake videos could spread rapidly across digital platforms, potentially undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
He stressed that the conduct and professionalism of INEC officials would be critical to countering false narratives, noting that administrative failures could give credibility to misinformation.
The chairman said the commission would respond through proactive transparency, prompt official communication and strict adherence to operational standards at every polling unit.
On staff discipline, Amupitan warned that partisan conduct, administrative negligence, extortion and ethical breaches would not be tolerated under his leadership.
He reminded INEC personnel that Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026 requires electoral officials, including Electoral Officers, Presiding Officers and Returning Officers, as well as participating security personnel, to swear an oath of loyalty and neutrality.
He urged staff to discharge their responsibilities strictly in accordance with the law, irrespective of whose interests might be affected by their decisions.
Amupitan said maintaining neutrality, professionalism and public confidence would be essential to ensuring a credible electoral process in 2027.
