2027: INEC MEETS SECURITY AGENCIES, PARTY LEADERS, OTHERS IN LAGOS

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State on Tuesday met with security agencies, political parties and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and ensure peaceful conduct of the 2027 General Elections.

The INEC Lagos 2027 stakeholders meeting was aimed at mobilising public support for the effective implementation of the commission’s electoral plans .

THE PREPARATIONS

Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting in Lagos, Prof Ayobami Salami, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), said the commission was intensifying preparations in logistics, personnel deployment, election security, voter education and accessibility.

He said INEC had moved from strategic planning to active operational implementation, with nine of the 14 scheduled milestones for the 2027 elections already accomplished as of October 6.

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“At the national level, the Register of Voters currently stands at approximately 103 million,” he said .

“Preparations are also advancing in critical areas, including the procurement and delivery of 57,000 additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, software upgrades, battery optimisation and biometric calibration. Similarly, extensive logistical arrangements are being made for the deployment of over 100,000 vehicles and 4,000 boats nationwide”.

The REC added that recruitment of approximately 1.4 million election personnel through the INECPRES portal was ongoing, with the application window scheduled to close on November 18

LAGOS’ PECULIAR CHALLENGES

Salami said Lagos, with 7,488,633 registered voters, remained strategically important to the electoral process, requiring meticulous planning and coordinated deployment of resources across its 20 Local Government Areas .

He said the state has 245 Registration Areas and 13,325 Polling Units, making effective logistics and inter-agency cooperation essential.

“Beyond these figures are the distinctive operational realities of Lagos: a large and mobile population, densely populated urban communities, extensive commercial activities, traffic challenges, some difficult-to-access settlements and riverine locations. These peculiarities demand careful planning and solutions tailored to the circumstances of individual communities,” he said .

SECURITY AND MISINFORMATION

On election security, Salami said INEC would continue working with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), led by the Nigeria Police Force, to identify and mitigate potential electoral risks.

“Our collective priority is to safeguard voters, election personnel, observers, electoral materials and facilities throughout the electoral process. Particular attention will be given to prevention of electoral violence, intimidation, vote-buying, ballot snatching and other unlawful activities capable of undermining the credibility of elections,” he said .

Salami also raised concerns about misinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence to circulate manipulated images, fabricated reports, synthetic audio and video recordings, deepfakes and voice clones.

He urged political actors, media practitioners, civil society organisations and members of the public to verify election-related information through authorised INEC communication channels before sharing it .

He reiterated that the collation and declaration of election results must follow established legal procedures and be undertaken only by duly authorised electoral officials .

WHY IT MATTERS

The meeting is part of INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, which are scheduled for January and February 2027. With 103 million registered voters and massive logistical requirements, the commission faces a significant challenge.

The focus on AI-generated misinformation is notable, reflecting growing concerns about the use of deepfakes and synthetic media to manipulate public opinion during elections. ValidViewNetwork reports that INEC is intensifying preparations for the 2027 polls.