Amupitan gave the assurance during an interactive meeting with INEC staff members from the six South-South states in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where the commission assessed its level of preparedness for the forthcoming elections.
Addressing participants, the INEC chairman said the commission’s statutory timeline was fixed and would not be adjusted without reason, adding that it remained committed to conducting credible elections in accordance with the law.
“Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled,” he said.
Amupitan also disclosed that Rivers State would receive special attention during the preparations because it has the highest number of registered voters in the South-South region, with 3,736,434 voters.
Delta State follows with 3,525,988 registered voters, while Edo has 2,865,263; Akwa Ibom, 2,566,198; Cross River, 1,928,978; and Bayelsa, 1,200,691. The six states have a combined total of 15,823,550 registered voters.
“With the 3,736,434 registered voters for Rivers State, the state leads the South-South. By this, the commission will put more attention to what happens in Rivers State. It is your duty to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised because of operational failures,” he said.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that the commission had published the voters’ register online and at designated locations. He said it had received more than 5,000 claims seeking corrections, including changes to names and dates of birth, as well as over 600 objections, which were being addressed ahead of the elections.
He announced that the final voters’ register would be released on December 15, adding that the commission was working to resolve all outstanding issues before the deadline.
Amupitan also revealed that he had initially considered revalidating the voters’ register after assuming office but abandoned the idea following concerns that the exercise would take place too close to the general elections.
On the commission’s readiness, he expressed confidence in its ability to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible polls, citing lessons from recent off-cycle governorship elections, particularly the Osun State election.
He said the Osun election recorded the highest voter turnout in the history of off-cycle elections in the state and was adjudged credible by local and international observers despite earlier security concerns.
“Osun State elections gave us the confidence that we can achieve this despite the noise. It is good that we had a series of those elections before the general elections because we learn lessons from every election,” he said.
The INEC chairman added that the commission would apply lessons from the off-cycle polls to strengthen its preparations for 2027, stressing that it was determined to conduct elections that would move the country forward.
On security, Amupitan said INEC was working with relevant agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services (DSS), to ensure the safety of voters, electoral personnel, ad hoc staff and election materials.
He said the commission wanted Nigerians to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) with confidence that their safety would be guaranteed when they turned out to vote.
“We want every part of Nigeria to be calm during the elections so that people can come out to vote. We will not tell them to take their PVCs and then will not guarantee their safety,” he said.
Amupitan also dismissed concerns that artificial intelligence or algorithms could determine the outcome of the 2027 elections, maintaining that the decision would rest with Nigerian voters.
“It is the people of Nigeria that will decide the outcome of the elections and not AI or any algorithms,” he said.
He, however, acknowledged the growing cybersecurity threats associated with artificial intelligence, saying the commission would explore ways to use technology to protect its systems against possible attacks.
The INEC chairman assured that the commission would continue strengthening the security of its digital infrastructure and urged staff across the South-South region to remain committed to their duties, noting that the credibility of elections depends largely on the conduct of officials at polling units and other field locations.
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