2027 elections: INEC has no preferred candidate, vows neutrality – Amupitan

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a transparent and impartial electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking at the National Peace Accord for the 2027 presidential election on Tuesday, INEC Chairman, Professor Josiah Amupitan, said the commission would not take sides in the contest and has no preferred candidate or political party.

According to him, the electoral body remains focused solely on ensuring that Nigerians are able to freely choose their leaders through a credible process.

“INEC has no interest in who wins or loses any election. The commission does not have a candidate, nor does it favour any political platform,” Amupitan said.

The INEC chairman also called on political parties and their candidates to conduct campaigns centred on policies and development issues rather than violence, hostility and personal attacks.

“Let the 2027 election campaign be a marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war,” he said.

Amupitan stressed that Nigerians expect leaders to provide workable solutions to the country’s challenges, urging politicians to present realistic programmes and clear policy proposals.

“Nigerians do not want insults; they want solutions. They deserve to hear clear, concrete, and measurable manifestos,” he said.

He further disclosed that preparations for the 2027 elections were already underway, noting that the commission was strengthening its operational capacity to manage the nationwide exercise.

Providing an update on the commission’s readiness, Amupitan said INEC was expanding its logistics network and planning for the deployment of a large workforce across polling centres nationwide.

“I am pleased to report that our preparations for the 2027 elections are progressing with absolute precision. We are scaling our operational logistics to manage a massive nationwide ad hoc workforce of 1.4 million personnel across over 176,000 polling units,” he said.

The INEC chairman expressed confidence that the commission would build on previous electoral experiences to deliver a credible and peaceful election in 2027.