AMUPITAN: NO VOTER WILL BE DISENFRANCHISED UNDER MY WATCH, POLLS MUST HOLD AS SCHEDULED

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, has declared that the commission has no plan to shift the 2027 general elections, insisting that the statutory timeline is fixed and will not be altered for any reason.

The declaration was made on Saturday during the commission’s interactive meeting with staff members across the six states of the South-South geopolitical zone in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where the commission assessed their readiness for the polls, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE DECLARATION

Amupitan was unequivocal as he addressed Resident Electoral Commissioners and staff from the zone.”Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything.The election must hold as scheduled,” he said.

The INEC chairman stressed that the commission was committed to delivering credible elections in line with the provisions of the law, dismissing claims by some political parties that INEC planned to postpone the general elections .

THE SOUTH-SOUTH FOCUS

Amupitan disclosed that the commission would pay special attention to Rivers State due to its strategic position and its status as the state with the highest number of registered voters in the South-South region.

According to the figures he presented, Rivers has 3,736,434 registered voters, followed by Delta with 3,525,988; Edo, 2,865,263; Akwa Ibom, 2,566,198; Cross River, 1,928,978; and Bayelsa, 1,200,691 .

The six states in the zone have a total of 15,823,550 registered voters.

“With the 3,736,434 registered voters for Rivers State, the state leads the South-South. By this, the commission will put more attention to what happens in Rivers State. It is your duty to ensure that no voter is disenfranchised because of operational failures,” Amupitan said .

THE VOTERS’ REGISTER

Amupitan announced that INEC had published the voters’ register online and at designated locations, and had received over 5,000 claims relating to corrections, including names and dates of birth, and more than 600 objections.

He said these were being addressed to ensure a credible voter register ahead of the elections .

He announced that the final voters’ register would be released on December 15, 2026, reiterating the commission’s determination to resolve all outstanding issues before the deadline .

The INEC chairman also revealed that the commission had initially considered revalidating the voters’ register upon assuming office but dropped the idea following concerns that the exercise would be too close to the general elections .

THE SECURITY QUESTION

Amupitan said the commission was working with security agencies, including the police and the Department of State Services, to guarantee the safety of voters, electoral personnel, ad hoc staff and election materials .

“We want every part of Nigeria to be calm during the elections so that people can come out to vote. We will not tell them to take their PVCs and then will not guarantee their safety,” he said .

He also dismissed fears that Artificial Intelligence and algorithms could determine the outcome of the 2027 elections, insisting that Nigerians would determine their leaders.

WHY IT MATTERS

The 2027 election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly polls, and February 6, 2027, for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

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Amupitan’s declaration is a direct response to speculation that the commission might shift the elections, particularly amid the controversy over the voters’ register and the AI-generated images scandal.

For Nigerians, the message is clear: the election will hold. The question is whether INEC can deliver a credible process on the scheduled date.

The commission has promised to release the final voters’ register on December 15. It has promised to guarantee the safety of voters. It has promised that no voter will be disenfranchised.

The promises have been made. The timeline is fixed. And the clock is ticking. ValidViewNetwork reports.