As preparations gradually gather momentum for the 2027 General Elections, concerns are mounting over increasing incidents of political violence, electoral malpractice, voter intimidation and other activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s democratic process. In some parts of the country, political activities have reportedly been characterised by violence, resulting in loss of lives and destruction of property.
Against this backdrop, Comrade Bibi Oduku, Chairman of GUARD TIME INFORMATION (GTI), Human Rights Activists Nationwide, has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, and the entire Commission to take proactive and decisive measures to guarantee credible, transparent, free and fair general elections in 2027.
Comrade Oduku urged INEC to ensure that every vote counts and that electoral results genuinely reflect the choices of the electorate. He also called on the Commission to demonstrate a strong commitment to electoral peace by requiring all political parties and their candidates to publicly pledge to reject political violence, thuggery, voter intimidation and all forms of electoral criminality.
He further emphasised the need for INEC to assure all contestants that their legitimate electoral mandates, as expressed through votes cast and duly counted at polling units, would be respected and protected.
Ambassador Akanni Michael described INEC as a critical institution in Nigeria’s democratic development and expressed confidence in the leadership of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN. He noted that the Chairman’s professional reputation and personal integrity should be reflected in the Commission’s conduct of the 2027 elections.
He expressed optimism that the INEC Chairman would provide effective leadership, ensure proper internal coordination and deploy competent, credible and responsible electoral personnel across the country to guarantee transparency, fairness and accountability throughout the electoral process.
Similarly, Dr. Jonnie Bosah observed that Nigerians across the country are looking forward to an electoral process that will strengthen public confidence in INEC and the nation’s democratic institutions.
He called on the Commission to put all necessary measures in place ahead of the elections, particularly in addressing electoral complaints, disputes and irregularities through transparent, impartial and lawful procedures.
He maintained that a credible electoral process would significantly reduce post-election tensions, prevent avoidable violence and promote national peace, unity and stability.
Prof. Michael Nwokolo, PhD, highlighted the importance of the office of the INEC Chairman and the enormous responsibility attached to the position, particularly its influence on the future of Nigeria’s democracy through the conduct of the 2027 General Elections.
He urged the Chairman to ensure that the Commission operates strictly within the provisions of the law and that electoral outcomes reflect the genuine choices of the Nigerian people.
He further advised INEC to strengthen its internal security, administrative and intelligence mechanisms to prevent corruption, sabotage, criminal infiltration and any form of compromise capable of undermining the credibility and integrity of the elections.
In his contribution, Comrade Dariphet Oruese Okotie called on INEC to give serious attention to the security challenges confronting the country and work closely with relevant security agencies to establish comprehensive security arrangements for the protection of voters, electoral officials, election materials and the integrity of the ballot during the 2027 elections.
He recalled previous electoral experiences in which members of the security and paramilitary services, as well as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) personnel deployed for electoral duties, reportedly came under attack, with some losing their lives.
He also expressed concern over incidents of vote theft, destruction of electoral materials and other unlawful activities that have marred previous elections.
He therefore urged INEC to draw valuable lessons from these experiences and take adequate preventive measures to ensure that such unfortunate incidents do not recur during the 2027 General Elections.
Dr. Abbati Bako, in his remarks, emphasised the importance of electronic devices and technological systems to be deployed for the 2027 elections. He advised INEC to ensure that all electoral equipment and electronic devices are properly tested, configured, secured and distributed to designated locations well ahead of election day.
He stressed that adequate technical preparations, comprehensive personnel training and effective contingency arrangements would help prevent avoidable technological failures, operational difficulties and unnecessary complaints during the electoral process.
GTI Pledges Election Monitoring and Accountability
In his concluding remarks, Comrade Bibi Oduku reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of GUARD TIME INFORMATION (GTI), Human Rights Activists Nationwide, to promoting electoral integrity, democratic accountability, human rights protection and peaceful political participation in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the organisation, in collaboration with other national and international electoral and human rights organisations, is keenly interested in the 2027 General Elections and will closely monitor developments before, during and after the elections.
According to him, the organisation is prepared to participate in lawful election observation and monitoring activities, document human rights violations, report electoral irregularities and collaborate with relevant institutions to ensure that individuals responsible for electoral offences are held accountable in accordance with the law.
He further stated that GTI would not hesitate to pursue appropriate legal action against individuals found culpable of electoral offences, including political violence, voter intimidation, electoral fraud, destruction of election materials and other violations of the Electoral Act.
The organisation therefore calls on INEC, political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society organisations and all Nigerians to work collectively towards ensuring peaceful, transparent, credible, free and fair elections in 2027.
Nigeria’s democracy can only grow stronger when every vote counts, the people’s mandate is respected, citizens’ rights are protected and electoral outcomes genuinely reflect the will of the electorate.
