With campaigns for the 2027 general elections officially underway, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns over a growing list of threats that could undermine the credibility of the polls, warning that electoral violence, vote-buying, misinformation and foreign interference remain major risks.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the International Republican Institute (IRI) on a pre-election assessment mission led by former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Jendayi Frazier.

The warning comes at a crucial period for Nigeria’s democracy, just days after the Osun State governorship election and as political parties prepare to intensify campaigns ahead of the 2027 contest.

According to Amupitan, security challenges, pockets of electoral violence and the increasing spread of hate speech and false information could weaken public trust in the electoral process if left unchecked.

He also expressed concern over Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI), describing it as an emerging challenge capable of influencing public perception and disrupting the integrity of elections.

“Security risks, localised electoral violence, vote-buying and the rapid spread of hate speech, disinformation and foreign information interference pose direct threats to voter confidence,” the INEC chairman said.

As preparations gather momentum, Amupitan revealed that the commission is expanding its operational capacity to manage what is expected to be one of the largest electoral exercises in Africa. He said INEC plans to deploy about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel to more than 176,000 polling units across the country during the elections.

The commission is also intensifying efforts to clean up the voters’ register through the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), a technology designed to detect and eliminate duplicate registrations under the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) programme.

Amupitan noted that recent off-cycle governorship elections and legislative by-elections have served as test runs for INEC’s logistics, security arrangements and technology-driven processes.

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He said innovations introduced by the commission, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), have continued to strengthen transparency and reduce vulnerabilities associated with previous elections.

According to him, recent off-cycle elections recorded result upload rates exceeding 98 per cent, a development he described as evidence of the reliability of the commission’s electoral technology.

Beyond technology, INEC is also refining its operational plans to improve voter experience. The commission is conducting voter register audits, coordinating early deployment arrangements with transport unions and introducing enhanced support measures for persons with disabilities, pregnant women and elderly voters.

To tackle electoral offences and campaign finance violations, Amupitan said INEC is working closely with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), as well as anti-corruption bodies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The collaboration, he explained, is aimed at monitoring campaign spending, curbing electoral malpractice and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice.

The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission would participate in the signing of the National Peace Committee’s Peace Accord alongside presidential candidates, a move intended to promote issue-based campaigns and reduce political tension ahead of the elections.

Reaffirming the commission’s commitment to neutrality, transparency and fairness, Amupitan assured both domestic and international stakeholders that INEC would remain impartial throughout the electoral process.

His remarks signal that while preparations for the 2027 elections are gathering pace, the battle to safeguard the integrity of the polls may be just as important as the contest itself.