As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force are intensifying preparations, addressing crucial concerns regarding security and the integrity of the electoral process. Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of INEC, has highlighted that the pervasive insecurity across the country is significantly eroding public confidence, thereby posing a substantial threat to the conduct of free and fair elections. In response, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has reassured INEC of the Nigeria Police’s unwavering commitment to providing a secure environment, explicitly warning against any preferential treatment for individuals or political parties.

Professor Amupitan articulated these concerns during a courtesy visit to IGP Disu, where he formally sought the police's support and collaboration for the upcoming 2027 elections. He emphasized the critical need for a thorough security risk analysis prior to the polls. Amupitan, through a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, pinpointed electoral malpractices, vote trading, and threats of violence as key factors that could undermine public trust and jeopardize national security. He advocated for proactive security measures, including comprehensive risk assessments to pinpoint potential flashpoints and implement appropriate mitigation strategies. “The scale of insecurity across various parts of the country presents a threat to the conduct of free and fair elections. It is essential that we carry out thorough security risk analyses ahead of the elections,” Amupitan affirmed.

INEC has already commenced preparations for the 2027 elections, with the presidential and National Assembly polls slated for January 16, 2027, and governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for February 6, 2027. The INEC chairman noted that the release of the election timetable and ongoing political party activities, such as ward congresses and conventions, mark the full activation of the electoral process, which he termed a “security trigger.” He reminded political parties that their primaries must conform to Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2026, which exclusively permits direct primaries and consensus for candidate nominations. Amupitan also drew attention to upcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, alongside various by-elections nationwide, describing them as vital milestones in Nigeria’s democratic progression. Acknowledging the police as the primary agency for election security, the INEC chairman pledged the commission’s full cooperation, stressing the importance of intelligence sharing, strategic planning, and community engagement. He lauded the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) as the “heartbeat” of operational safety, advocating for ICCES to transition from reactive policing to proactive intelligence coordination through a unified, multi-agency approach to safeguard electoral personnel, materials, and voters. Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s dedication to collaborating with security agencies to ensure peaceful, credible, and transparent elections reflective of the Nigerian populace’s will.

In his response, IGP Disu assured INEC of the police's robust preparedness to secure the 2027 general election, affirming that the Nigeria Police would execute its duties with professionalism, impartiality, and strict adherence to the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, and other relevant laws. He disclosed that the force has initiated strategic threat assessments and intelligence mapping nationwide to identify potential flashpoints and emerging security risks. Disu highlighted priority concerns such as political violence, illegal arms proliferation, voter intimidation, cyber manipulation, misinformation, and attacks on electoral infrastructure, all of which demand proactive attention. He stated that intelligence-led deployments and preventive policing strategies would be employed to neutralize threats before they escalate. The IGP further guaranteed adequate security for electoral officials, sensitive materials, collation centres, and other critical electoral infrastructure throughout the process. He firmly asserted that no political party, candidate, or interest group would receive preferential treatment, warning that officers found engaging in partisan conduct or unethical practices would face stringent disciplinary and legal consequences. “We will ensure that we enforce electoral laws firmly and we will do it professionally,” the IGP stated. Disu also urged for the early release and wide dissemination of the election timetable to facilitate effective planning, logistics coordination, personnel training, and inter-agency collaboration. He advocated for enhanced cooperation among security agencies through joint training, intelligence sharing, and harmonized communication strategies, and revealed plans to engage political parties via peace accords and stakeholder seminars to promote peaceful conduct before, during, and after the elections. Officers selected for election duties, he added, would undergo intensive training in electoral security management, human rights compliance, rules of engagement, crowd control, and ethical conduct.

In a related development aimed at streamlining the electoral legal framework, the Senate has approved for Second Reading a bill designed to restrict the filing of multiple pre-election cases. Sponsored by Senator Simon Lalong, this proposed amendment to the Electoral Act, 2026, seeks to confine such matters to specific courts, thereby preventing confusion and conflicting judgments. Under the proposed structure, all pre-election disputes concerning National Assembly, governorship, and House of Assembly elections would commence at the Federal High Court. Disputes involving presidential and vice presidential elections, however, would directly originate at the Court of Appeal. Senator Lalong, while leading the debate, explained that the amendment seeks to resolve the lack of clarity in the current law, which has led to conflicting court decisions, delays in case resolution, and abuse of the judicial process by politicians seeking favorable judgments. He stressed that appeals stemming from non-presidential pre-election disputes would conclude at the Court of Appeal, while presidential contest appeals would terminate at the Supreme Court. Lalong emphasized that democracy thrives on the credibility, certainty, and predictability of pre-election legal processes. He noted that presidential elections, being national in scope, require swift handling by a higher court with nationwide authority. Allowing the Court of Appeal to hear presidential pre-election disputes initially would ensure speedy handling of sensitive cases, while granting the Federal High Court jurisdiction over other matters would improve consistency. The bill also aims to prevent courts from adjudicating pre-election matters outside the proposed legal framework and allows aspirants to file cases either in the Federal Capital Territory or the state where the issue occurred. Lalong warned that delays in resolving electoral disputes could precipitate constitutional crises, threatening democratic stability. He concluded that the bill is timely, necessary, and in the national interest, as it would enhance public confidence by reducing conflicting judgments and deterring politicians from filing identical cases in multiple courts. Following debate, the bill was approved for Second Reading and referred for further legislative work.