2027: INEC Chairman Warns Staff Against Partisanship, Negligence As PVC Collection Begins Soon

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned INEC staff against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and ethical breaches ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Amupitan issued the warning on Monday in Kaduna while declaring open the North West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 elections.

The INEC chairman told Electoral Officers, heads of departments and senior administrative staff from the zone that the Commission would strictly enforce its code of conduct and hold officials accountable for their conduct.

“Partisan leaning, administrative negligence, or compromised ethics will not be tolerated,” Amupitan said, stressing that protecting the integrity of the electoral body was non-negotiable.

He said the conduct of field officers remained critical to the credibility of elections, warning that administrative failures could create room for disinformation and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“When a polling unit opens late, when an officer displays nonchalance or perceived bias, or when technical glitches are met with silence, we inadvertently validate the cynics, deepen voter apathy, and fuel disinformation,” he said.

Amupitan reminded electoral officials of the oath of loyalty and neutrality required under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026, saying officers must administer elections without preference for any candidate or political party.

“The question must never be ‘Who will benefit from this decision?’ but always ‘What does the law require me to do?’” he stated.

The INEC chairman also cautioned staff against improvisation and informal shortcuts, directing them to strictly follow procedures contained in the Electoral Act 2026, the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 and other approved guidelines.

He said operational challenges should be escalated through established institutional channels rather than handled through informal arrangements.

According to Amupitan, neither a sound legal framework nor modern electoral technology could independently guarantee credible elections without proper implementation by election officials.

“The credibility of an election depends on how faithfully the law is implemented by the officials entrusted with its administration,” he said.

He described INEC personnel as the face of the Commission at the grassroots, telling them, “To the voter in a local ward, INEC is not the Chairman in Abuja; INEC is you.”

Amupitan urged staff to know the law, understand their responsibilities, remain neutral and document their actions, stressing that administrative decisions must be capable of withstanding public scrutiny and judicial review.

The chairman said the Kaduna engagement was part of a six-zone readiness assessment tour being conducted ahead of the 2027 elections, noting that his decision to personally participate in the zonal meetings was intended to strengthen engagement with field personnel.

He recalled the Commission’s performance in recent off-cycle elections, including the Osun State governorship election, but cautioned staff that past achievements had raised expectations for the 2027 polls.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.

On staff welfare, Amupitan said INEC was committed to improving the welfare and security of its personnel. He said the Commission had established the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure, CEMBSS, effective January 1, 2026.

He also disclosed that overhead allocations to state offices had been increased by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026, while procurement and distribution of new operational pick-up vehicles had commenced for state offices and local government areas nationwide.

Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the Kaduna meeting was the second leg of the six-zone exercise after Lagos.

Haruna said the exercise was aimed at strengthening the Commission’s preparations and helping staff deliver what he described as the best election in the country’s history.

He also disclosed that collection of newly printed Permanent Voter Cards would commence on October 9, 2026, urging traditional rulers and other community leaders to encourage eligible citizens to collect their cards and participate in the electoral process.

The Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, said the zonal meetings were designed to assess the preparedness of states, identify operational challenges and ensure that staff remained aligned with INEC’s Code of Conduct ahead of the elections.

Officials from the Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, ICT, Human Resources, and Election and Operations departments also briefed participants on their respective responsibilities and preparations for the 2027 polls.