INEC seeks adequate funding for 2027 election security, logistics
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for adequate funding to provide the security and logistics needed for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the call on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo State, while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers.
The conference was organised under the theme, “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”
Amupitan said although INEC’s funding is provided as a first line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the commission’s wide responsibilities require sustained financial support.
He said INEC is responsible for conducting presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state House of Assembly elections, as well as voter registration and the registration of political parties.
According to him, the commission also has the legal authority to request the deployment of security agencies during elections and voter registration.
He stressed that inadequate funding could affect the ability of INEC and security agencies to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
“Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chairman also described voter registration as the foundation of credible elections, warning that an inaccurate or outdated voters’ register could affect the inclusiveness of the electoral process.
He said adequate funding was particularly important for the deployment of electoral personnel and materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units.
Amupitan noted that even when security agencies successfully maintain peace, poor logistics could still affect the conduct of elections.
He said INEC had made security and logistics key priorities under his leadership and was working with government and security agencies to address operational challenges ahead of the 2027 elections.
The chairman also highlighted the importance of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which brings INEC, security agencies and other relevant government institutions together to coordinate election security.
He said ICCES operates at the federal, state and local government levels, with senior police officers playing key roles at each level.
Amupitan said stronger cooperation among security agencies would be necessary ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that the police remained the lead agency for election security.
He also urged authorities to learn from recent off-cycle elections, particularly in the areas of intelligence gathering, logistics and coordination among security agencies.
According to him, Nigerians expect a highly effective electoral system, but achieving that goal requires adequate resources.
“In Nigeria, we want the best. We want our electoral system to be 100 per cent. But sometimes we don’t ask ourselves the question: if we want the nation to be perfect, there must be a cost for it,” he said.
Amupitan urged relevant authorities to provide INEC and security agencies with the resources needed to perform their duties effectively.
He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to improving cooperation through ICCES and expressed hope that the Owerri retreat would produce a practical roadmap for election security ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He also urged senior police officers to maintain professional neutrality, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen cooperation among security agencies to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, also called on the Nigeria Police Force to support the INEC chairman in carrying out his mandate.
She said strong police support and cooperation were essential to protecting the electoral process and ensuring free, fair, credible and transparent elections across Nigeria.
