The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to maintain neutrality, operational excellence and the integrity of the ballot as Nigeria enters the final 100-day countdown to the 2027 General Election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the commitment on Tuesday at the World Press Conference and National Stakeholders’ Meeting marking 100 days to the first ballot, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Amupitan said the Commission had moved from planning into execution, with election materials in production, technology undergoing quality assurance, the voters’ register finalised for public display and its workforce undergoing systematic training.
“As we begin this 100-day sprint to the 2027 General Election, we reassure the nation and the international community of our total commitment to neutrality, operational excellence, and the sacred integrity of the ballot box,” he said.
He described the milestone as more than a countdown, saying it represented a call to action and the beginning of the final phase of preparations for the election.
According to him, INEC’s objective is to ensure that the 2027 election meets the highest standards of transparency, integrity and peaceful conduct.
The INEC chairman said since assuming office on October 23, 2025, the Commission had conducted several off-cycle elections, including the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections, FCT Area Council polls, as well as federal and state bye-elections.
He said reports from local and international observers indicated that the elections met the benchmark of electoral integrity, adding that the polls provided an opportunity to test key improvements in the electoral process.
Amupitan listed the improvements to include early deployment of ad hoc personnel and sensitive materials, improved logistics and intelligence-led security arrangements.
He said INEC released the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election on February 26, 2026, containing 14 statutory milestones, nine of which had been completed.
He added that the timetable had been translated into an operational plan being implemented across the Commission’s 23 headquarters departments and directorates, 36 state offices, the Federal Capital Territory and all 774 Local Government Area offices.
On funding, Amupitan acknowledged the timely release of statutory allocations by the Federal Government, saying it had enabled the Commission to meet international vendor obligations, fund the production of critical election technology and upgrade infrastructure.
He, however, called for the prompt release of outstanding funds to ensure the smooth completion of remaining electoral activities.
On voter registration, the INEC chairman disclosed that the three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise produced 10,772,421 new voters, bringing the National Register of Voters to 103 million.
He said the register would be displayed for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15, while distribution of Phase One Permanent Voter Cards to Local Government centres would commence on Friday, October 9.
Amupitan also disclosed that 18 of the 22 registered political parties had submitted 36 presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
He said the final list of National Assembly candidates was published on September 12, while the final list of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates would be published on October 10.
On election technology, the INEC chairman said production was advanced for 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices, with some already delivered.
He added that procurement for the printing of ballot papers and result sheets was also nearing completion.
Amupitan urged political parties, candidates, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders to support the Commission’s efforts to deliver a peaceful, transparent and credible election.