By Divine Sam
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to intimidate, threaten and abduct ad-hoc electoral personnel, including members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed that intelligence operations had led to the arrest of suspected masterminds of the plot, who have reportedly been charged to court through the Department of State Services (DSS).
Amupitan gave the warning in Lokoja, Kogi State, during the commission’s North Central zonal operational readiness assessment and interactive engagement with staff. He stressed that the safety of electoral workers and the credibility of the forthcoming elections remained critical priorities for the commission.
He warned that individuals who threaten, intimidate or harm electoral personnel would be made to face the full consequences of the law.
The INEC chairman also cautioned election officials against political bias, misconduct and administrative lapses, stressing that anyone found compromising the integrity of the electoral process would be appropriately sanctioned.
He maintained that the success of the 2027 general elections would largely depend on the professionalism, neutrality and commitment of personnel, particularly those responsible for election administration at the grassroots.
According to him, INEC is strengthening its partnership with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to identify and tackle potential threats before election day.
He explained that the commission was also deploying Election Risk Management tools to identify security-sensitive locations across the North Central zone, with relevant findings to be shared with security agencies for timely intervention.
Amupitan said preparations were being intensified across the country to ensure that the 2027 elections would be better organised than previous exercises, noting that credible elections require sustained planning rather than emergency measures close to election day.
He identified logistics, investment in technology, staff welfare and efficient administrative procedures as essential components of the commission’s preparations.
The chairman disclosed that INEC was preparing for an election involving more than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the North Central zone, which comprises six states and the FCT, has a combined voting population of 15.44 million, while Kogi State alone accounts for 1,932,654 registered voters.
Describing the region as strategically important to election administration, Amupitan noted that Kogi’s geographical location and its boundaries with several states made effective logistics planning, security coordination and operational preparedness particularly important.
He urged electoral officers to ensure that eligible voters were not denied their voting rights because of administrative shortcomings or logistical challenges, reiterating the need for accountability and impartiality in the discharge of their duties.
On the voters’ register, the INEC chairman said the commission was addressing discrepancies discovered during the display of the register for claims and objections ahead of the publication of the final register scheduled for December 15, 2026.
He assured Nigerians that identified errors would be corrected before the final register was released.
Amupitan further identified the spread of misinformation and disinformation, especially fabricated reports and manipulated videos on social media, as a growing challenge capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
He consequently urged INEC’s voter education and publicity departments to intensify public awareness campaigns, while advising Nigerians to verify information before sharing it.
On staff welfare, the chairman disclosed that the commission had introduced the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), which took effect on January 1, 2026, as part of efforts to move its workforce away from the conventional civil service salary system.
He added that President Bola Tinubu had approved an improved package covering salaries, hazard allowances and field allowances, although its implementation was still awaiting cash backing.
Other welfare and operational measures, according to him, include a 150 per cent increase in overhead allocations to state offices, improved duty tour allowances, plans for an owner-occupier housing scheme and the procurement of additional operational vehicles, including 500 pickup trucks to strengthen logistics.
Amupitan urged INEC personnel to recognise their responsibility as guardians of electoral integrity, maintaining that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend on their willingness to uphold the law and perform their duties without fear, favour or political influence.
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