INEC publishes the names of 110 political associations applying for registration ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections
INEC Warns Funding Gaps Could Disrupt 2027 Election Logistics
The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned that funding constraints could affect the deployment of personnel, materials and other logistics required for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, raised the concern in Owerri, Imo State, during the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, CARSPO 2026.
The conference, themed “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Election”, brought together senior police officers and other stakeholders to discuss preparations for election security.
Amupitan said adequate funding was essential for INEC and security agencies to effectively carry out their responsibilities during the elections.
He explained that although INEC’s funding was provided as a first-line charge, the commission had extensive responsibilities beyond conducting elections, including voter registration and political party registration.
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“Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints,” he said.
The INEC chairman noted that the commission was responsible for elections involving the President, Vice President, National Assembly, governors and state Houses of Assembly, while also maintaining voter registration, which he described as the foundation of the electoral process.
He urged relevant authorities to provide sufficient resources to enable INEC and security agencies to carry out their duties effectively.
Amupitan also highlighted the role of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, which coordinates INEC and security agencies during elections.
He said the committee evolved from an arrangement established after the 2011 general elections in response to concerns over post-election violence and had since become a structured platform for election-security coordination.
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Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu warned police officers against compromising their neutrality during the 2027 elections.
Disu said officers must protect voters and enforce the law rather than influence electoral outcomes, warning that those who take sides, collude with political actors, harass voters or abuse their powers would be investigated and punished.
“Any officer who takes sides, harasses voters, colludes with political actors or abuses power during these elections will be investigated and punished,” he said.
The IGP also directed officers deployed for election duties to understand the rules governing the use of force, stressing that it must be lawful, proportionate and used only as a last resort.
“We protect citizens and enforce the law. We do not decide political outcomes. We will be firm against violence, but always within the law,” he said.
Disu said the police would work with INEC and other security agencies to improve coordination before and during the elections.
“No agency secures an election alone; so we will hold joint exercises with INEC and sister agencies and set clear lines of command and communication before an incident, not after,” he said.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
