INEC and the 2027 Test: An Agenda for Neutrality, Innovation, and Inclusivity, By Richard Elesho

Since his appointment as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Joash Ojo Amupitan, a former law teacher at the University of Jos, has become the cynosure of all eyes, and on a free road to a household name. The gaze on him are so fixated that even his everyday reflexes such as coughing, yawning, sneezing, and gurgitation find their way to the public space. His nomination into arguably one of Nigeria’s most delicate public offices had set tongues wagging and ears tingling from day one.

Recall the hoopla over the claim that he was on President Bola Tinubu’s defence team in the legal fireworks that dogged his victory in the 2023 elections. It turned out to be false. Those who peddled the allegation were simply incapable of spotting the difference between another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, ‘Taiwo Osipitan,’ of the University of Lagos who was on the team, and ‘Joash Amupitan.’ Similarly, not many people will forget in a hurry the dramatic anti and pro Amupitan protests that attended his early days in office.

The theatrics seem to be fading out, and Amupitan has rolled up his sleeves to diligently confront the tasks ahead. As the country trudges like a dysfunctional gadget towards another defining democratic moment, the first on-cycle general elections under his watch, the release of the election timetable is both a procedural milestone and a moral contract with the Nigerian people. It sets the rhythm for political activities—from party primaries to the presidential, national assembly, gubernatorial, and state assembly elections.

Very crucially too, the onset of political activities and processes with regard to the polls raises hope of a new political and electoral order as well as hope for a new beginning and fresh political orientation devoid of bitterness, acrimony, thuggery and other electoral misdemeanors which characterised our recent political oast. Public expectations are that INEC must not only organize credible elections but also safeguard democracy itself. Thus, the actions and inactions of its minders must be above board and never jeopardise a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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For a start, the sanctity of the electoral timetable can not be compromised. Nigeria’s electoral history is littered with last-minute adjustments, logistical failures, and inconsistencies that have eroded public trust. For 2027, INEC must demonstrate discipline and institutional maturity by adhering strictly to its own schedule. Political parties, candidates, and voters alike must operate within a predictable framework. Any deviation—except under the most compelling and transparent circumstances—will be interpreted as weakness or, worse, manipulation.

Equally critical is the imperative of neutrality. In a polarized political environment, perception often becomes reality. INEC must, therefore, go beyond being impartial; it must be seen to be nonpartisan. The Commission must ensure a level playing field for all political actors, resisting any real or perceived alignment with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other political party for that matter. The credibility of the election will hinge not just on the fairness of processes but on the public’s confidence in those processes. For an electoral umpire, neutrality is not cowardice. It is strength.

Technology, long touted as the antidote to electoral malpractice, must now move from promise to performance. INEC should not merely rely on existing systems but must push the frontier by developing or adopting robust, tamper-proof technologies that guarantee electoral integrity. Real-time result collation and instantaneous transmission from polling units to central databases would significantly reduce opportunities for manipulation. When citizens can verify results as they are declared at polling units, trust in the system is naturally reinforced.

However, technology alone is not a silver bullet. Its effectiveness depends on transparency, reliability, and public understanding. INEC must, therefore, invest in voter education and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that innovations are not only deployed but also trusted. A system that is technologically sound but poorly understood can be as problematic as one that is flawed.

The beauty of democracy is the guarantee that citizens who are old enough to vote are not disenfranchised. INEC should, therefore, device the mechanism to ensure that no Ngerian of voting age is disallowed irrespective of status, creed, class, and gender. Vulnerable groups and special citizens like the elderly, nursing/ expectant mothers, and people living with disabilities, PLWD must be protected in the voting process. Nigerians in the diaspora must also be accommodated in the scheme of things. This is not rocket science. Nigeria should borrow a leaf from other nations where citizens are allowed to vote from their base abroad. That is the way to go.

Good enough, Amupitan knows his onions. The INEC Chairman, has thus far, demonstrated open, honest, accountable and transparent leadership in the management of electoral matters and in the synergy and collaboration with political parties and other stakeholders in addressing concerns and challenges in the build up to the general elections. This strategic engagement and collaborative approach with the key stakeholders will no doubt guide the electoral process to the much desired paradise where the declared winners are the real winners and the losers the real losers.

Amupitan rides on the crest of the popular support of an umpire without any baggage, political bias, or any web of politically contrived intrigues. He, therefore, has the leverage, built on public trust and clean record, of delivering credible, fair, and incontrovertible general elections in 2027

So far, the INEC boss has demonstrated and exercised doubtless integrity and transparency in the swiftness of his obedience to judicial pronouncements by judges in the legal disputes within the political parties and among aspirants to various elective offices. As a Professor of law, this is the standard operating procedure expected of him There is no doubt that he superintends over the INEC with the fastest and highest compliance level to court judgements in the history of elections in the country.

In the wake of the judicial resolution of the leadership impasse in the African Democratic Congress, (ADC), between the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee and Alhaji Nafiu Bala, INEC responded with speed to accord recognition to Senator Mark and his team in line with the court order, further reassuring the public about the electoral body’s neutrality as an umpire. This has restored calm in the polity and further drives the current political momentum.

Fear by those who purport to be democrats and political veterans but loathe fair and credible competitive elections was what triggered the panic mode among some politicians a few weeks ago who tried unsuccessfully to digitally impersonate the INEC boss through Insinuations of partisanship. Now that their contrived and convoluted tricks have been exposed through forensic investigations, they have chosen to okay the political ostrich by burying their heads in shame.

The forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Osun State (August 2026) and Ekiti State (November 2026) present a crucial opportunity. These off-cycle elections should serve as testing grounds for operational improvements, technological upgrades, and stakeholder coordination. Lessons learned—both successes and failures—must be rigorously analyzed and integrated into the broader strategy for 2027. In many ways, these elections are dress rehearsals for the general polls.

Under Amupitan’s stewardship, expectations are high. His reputation for integrity, administrative competence, and respect for the rule of law offers a solid foundation. Yet, the scale of the challenge demands more than personal credibility; it requires institutional courage, transparency, and accountability at every level of the Commission.

Nigeria’s democracy stands at a crossroads. The 2027 general elections are not just another cycle; they are a referendum on the country’s commitment to democratic ideals. INEC must rise to the occasion—not as a passive umpire, but as an active guardian of electoral integrity. The agenda is clear: uphold the timetable, ensure neutrality, innovate with purpose, learn from experience, and lead with integrity.

So long an agenda for a scholar, one who has the opportunity to be different!

*Richard Olaniran Elesho is the North Central Bureau Chief for *The News*