The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, on Thursday met with the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Fall, and other senior UN officials in Abuja, reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to credible and inclusive elections ahead of 2027.
The high-level engagement, held at INEC headquarters, focused on strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process as the country prepares for key upcoming polls.
Mr. Fall congratulated Prof. Amupitan on his appointment and commended the Commission for the successful conduct of the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
“On behalf of the United Nations in Nigeria, we congratulate you for taking on this critical responsibility,” Fall said. “Nigeria’s democracy, given its demographic size and complexity, comes with enormous challenges. We want to assure you of our prayers and full support to succeed.”
He praised the peaceful conduct of the FCT elections and reiterated the UN’s readiness to provide support beyond operational aspects, with a focus on inclusivity and the principle of leaving no one behind.
Also speaking, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ms. Elsie Attafuah, highlighted the long-standing collaboration between INEC and UNDP in areas such as technology, innovation, youth engagement, voter education, inclusivity and institutional strengthening.
“We are here to better understand your priority needs and explore how we can leverage our existing programmes as we approach 2027,” Attafuah said. “There is room to consider a dedicated election support project outside current frameworks. The time is ripe to work together at this crucial moment. If Nigeria succeeds, Africa advances.”
In his remarks, Prof. Amupitan welcomed the delegation, noting that the meeting followed the successful conduct of the FCT Area Council elections as well as bye-elections in Kano and Rivers States held on February 21, 2026.
“The elections were generally peaceful,” he said.The INEC Chairman stressed that the Commission’s constitutional mandate covers elections at federal and state levels, including those for President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.
He underscored key challenges confronting Election Management Bodies (EMBs) across Africa, particularly public trust deficits, voter education gaps, insecurity and the rising threat of misinformation and disinformation.
“Disinformation is the most dangerous,” he warned. “It is when someone knows what they are saying is false but persists in spreading it to undermine constitutional institutions.”
Prof. Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to inclusivity and gender equality, noting the existence of a dedicated Gender and Inclusivity Department within the Commission.
He cited measures to support persons with disabilities, including the provision of Braille materials for visually impaired voters and assistive devices for persons with albinism, in line with Nigeria’s Electoral Act and anti-discrimination laws.
On technology and transparency, he disclosed that INEC is strengthening safeguards in its result management systems to eliminate discrepancies and enhance public confidence. He also revealed ongoing efforts to sanitise the voters’ register, including the removal of deceased persons, to ensure accuracy and integrity.
“We cannot afford to fail our people,” he said. “Our aspiration is that every election we conduct will be better than the last.”
The INEC Chairman further stated that the Commission is upgrading its data management architecture to become the most credible source of electoral data in Nigeria, deploying improved digital tools and verifiable records covering voting patterns and election-day processes.
He reiterated that credible elections are fundamental to deepening democracy and driving development, adding that Nigeria’s electoral success would have far-reaching implications for democratic governance across Africa.
