The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised fresh concerns over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, warning that rising threats could undermine the credibility and survival of the country’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, issued the warning on Thursday while speaking at the 2nd Annual Lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS).
He stressed that the integrity of elections cannot be separated from the nation’s security architecture, declaring that both must be treated as “two sides of the same coin of national stability.”
“We must stop treating elections and security as separate concerns,” Amupitan said. “They are fundamentally linked.”
The INEC boss noted that Nigeria is entering a “critical phase” following the release of the 2027 election timetable, with presidential and National Assembly elections slated for January 16, 2027, and governorship polls on February 6, 2027.
According to him, these key dates now represent more than political milestones, warning they could also serve as “a security trigger” if urgent steps are not taken.
Amupitan identified what he described as a “sophisticated triad” of threats facing the electoral process, ranging from social media volatility and artificial intelligence-driven disinformation to Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI). These, he said, are further complicated by persistent challenges such as insurgency, communal clashes, and logistical constraints.
“Without a secure environment, the sovereign will of the people is not just threatened; it is silenced,” he warned.
He also raised concerns over declining voter participation, revealing that turnout has dropped sharply from 53 per cent in 2011 to just 26 per cent in 2023. The trend, he cautioned, poses a serious risk by creating a vacuum that could be exploited by anti-democratic forces.
“Restoring public trust in the electoral process is essential to preventing unrest and ensuring stability,” he added.
Amupitan highlighted the Commission’s continued reliance on technological innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as critical safeguards against electoral fraud.
He further called for enhanced collaboration among security agencies, particularly through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to ensure a coordinated response to emerging threats.
“The future of our democracy depends on our collective ability to secure the electoral process,” he said.
