By Joy Odor Reportcircle News
With political temperatures already rising ahead of 2027, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, on Monday fired a stark warning: Nigeria’s democracy is grappling with a dangerous trust deficit that could undermine the credibility of the next general elections.
In an unusually candid appeal at the Stakeholder Briefing and Presentation of the Annotated Peace Accord organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in Abuja, Amupitan called for urgent national action to rescue public confidence in the ballot.
“We appeal to the National Peace Committee to help us build trust,” he declared. “The trust deficit is palpable everywhere. If voters refuse to participate, then whoever emerges. it is in our collective interest that citizens continue to participate. We will get it right one day.”
The high-stakes meeting, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel, brought together political party leaders, security chiefs and civil society actors in what observers described as an early battle formation ahead of 2027.
Former Head of State and Chairman of the Peace Committee, Abdulsalami Abubakar, was represented by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto and Committee Convener, Mathew Hassan Kukah.
Amupitan did not mince words. He painted a sobering picture of a democracy wrestling with legitimacy concerns, insisting that legality alone would not be enough in 2027.
“Let the process be so transparent that whoever emerges will not only have legality but legitimacy,” he said firmly.
The INEC boss revealed that virtually the entire national leadership of the Commission attended the engagement, a move he said underscored the gravity of the moment.
Nigeria’s elections, he stressed, are not just competitive they are complex, volatile and increasingly shaped by perception battles. And perception, he admitted, is currently fragile.
Behind the diplomatic tone was a clear anxiety: declining voter turnout.
Amupitan warned that if citizens continue to disengage from the electoral process, democracy itself could be hollowed out.
He challenged political parties to strengthen internal discipline and voter mobilisation, insisting that credible elections are a shared responsibility not INEC’s burden alone.
Without unveiling operational secrets, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission has introduced additional safeguards in results management to address concerns about manipulation and inconsistencies.
According to him, some of the measures have already been quietly tested in recent elections.
He also confirmed intensified efforts to sanitise the voter register amid public complaints over duplications and outdated entries describing an authentic register as the bedrock of credible polls.
Amupitan raised the alarm over the weaponisation of misinformation during elections, warning that false narratives can inflame tensions and erode confidence.
He disclosed that INEC is working closely with security agencies and other institutions to track and counter disinformation campaigns capable of destabilising the process.
On vote trading and electoral offences, he was unequivocal: the law must take its course.
“Vote buying remains criminal. Investigations must be concluded promptly and prosecutions pursued decisively,” he said.
Looking ahead, the INEC Chairman described the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun as critical rehearsal grounds for 2027.
He hinted at fresh technology simulations, including mock exercises in selected polling units, to stress-test systems before the general election.
However, he issued a pointed reminder to government authorities: timely release of election funds is non-negotiable.
Early funding, he stressed, is crucial for procurement, logistics and operational planning, a subtle but unmistakable message to the nation’s fiscal managers.
In his remarks, Abdulsalami through Kukah reaffirmed the Peace Committee’s commitment to providing neutral ground for dialogue and conflict prevention.
Since 2015, the Peace Accord framework has served as a stabilising force in Nigeria’s electoral cycle.
The newly introduced Annotated Peace Accord, stakeholders were told, is designed to tighten commitments and close loopholes that previously allowed actors to evade responsibility.
“The responsibility of safeguarding our democracy rests with all of us,” Abdulsalami stated.
Monday’s engagement signals that the 2027 chessboard is already being set.
For INEC, the mission is clear but daunting: rebuild trust, restore participation, and deliver not just lawful winners but legitimate ones.
Whether the appeal will translate into concrete reforms, disciplined political conduct and renewed public confidence remains the defining question as Nigeria inches toward another decisive electoral showdown.
