INEC Unleashes Crackdown on Illegal Campaign Spending with New Joint Team!

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is taking proactive measures to ensure the integrity of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. A significant step is the establishment of a joint financial monitoring mechanism with leading anti-graft and financial intelligence agencies. This initiative aims to rigorously track illegal campaign spending and combat vote-buying, as disclosed by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan during a strategic workshop for media executives in Abuja, organized by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the commission.

This joint mechanism brings together INEC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). Its core function is to monitor campaign financing, identify suspicious expenditures, and strengthen surveillance around polling units to detect and deter attempts to induce voters with cash or other material benefits. Prof. Amupitan issued a stern warning to political parties, candidates, and their agents that any violations of the Electoral Act 2026 would result in arrest and prosecution. He emphasized INEC's determination to prevent financial power from influencing election outcomes, asserting that voters must be free to make their choices based on conviction, not the depth of a candidate's pocket.

Beyond financial integrity, INEC is also addressing the critical issue of electoral violence, intimidation, and inflammatory rhetoric. Prof. Amupitan warned political actors against such actions, stating that the commission would sanction parties and candidates whose activities jeopardize the peaceful conduct of elections. The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) has activated an early-warning mechanism to monitor political violence, thuggery, and dangerous campaign rhetoric. Parties or candidates found inciting violence, disrupting opponents' rallies, or deploying armed thugs will face sanctions and prosecution.

In terms of voter participation, Nigeria's National Register of Voters has expanded to over 103 million following the completion of a comprehensive three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and subsequent biometric cleanup. The CVR exercise yielded 10,772,421 new registrations, subject to verification. The first phase, from August 25 to December 10, 2025, recorded 2,611,266 registrations. The second phase, from January 5 to April 17, 2026, added 4,121,835 registrations, and the third phase, conducted between May 11 and July 26, 2026, contributed 3,867,997 new registrations. The Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup of the register has been completed after the preliminary register was displayed for claims and objections. Nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is set to commence on Friday, October 9, with new cards distributed to Local Government Area collection centres. To alleviate delays, INEC has also introduced printable PVC technology.

Significant advancements are also being made in election technology. INEC has acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for the 2027 polls. Existing electoral technology has been upgraded, and an enhanced eEC8A system has been introduced to digitize and authenticate polling-unit results before their upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. Prof. Amupitan clarified that the commission is deliberately improving existing systems rather than adopting untested technologies close to the elections. Furthermore, INEC is collaborating with technology partners to implement artificial intelligence-driven systems for detecting anomalies in database traffic and bolstering the cybersecurity of its electoral platforms.

The commission has successfully completed eight of the 14 major statutory activities outlined in its timetable for the 2027 elections. Lessons are being drawn from recent off-cycle elections to refine logistics, personnel, and technology in preparation for the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections. Prof. Amupitan urged the media to play a crucial role in countering misinformation, deepfakes, and manipulated campaign materials, which can undermine public confidence, suppress voter turnout, and compromise credible elections. Echoing this sentiment, Eze Anaba, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, called for a credible and transparent electoral process where voters, not courts, determine outcomes, fostering citizens' confidence that their votes are counted and electoral institutions operate fairly.