The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to credible, transparent and inclusive elections, while calling on the media to play a stronger role in combating misinformation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Professor Amupitan gave the assurance on Wednesday, 4 February 2026, during the first regular consultative meeting with media executives held at the INEC Conference Room, Abuja. The meeting marked his first formal engagement with senior media stakeholders since assuming office.
He described the engagement as a critical platform for dialogue and collaboration, noting that 2026 would be a busy electoral year as preparations intensify for multiple elections nationwide.
Anambra Polls Commended
Reflecting on the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election conducted on 8 November 2025, the INEC Chairman said the poll, which involved over 2.8 million registered voters across 5,718 polling units, was widely adjudged credible, transparent and efficiently managed. He commended the media for their role in voter education, information dissemination and accountability throughout the process.
FCT Area Council Elections
Professor Amupitan disclosed that preparations were in top gear for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, 21 February 2026. According to him, the election will involve over 1.6 million registered voters across six Area Councils, with most pre-election activities already concluded.
He said non-sensitive materials had been delivered, ad hoc staff recruitment completed, BVAS devices configured, and a mock accreditation scheduled for 7 February 2026 in selected polling units. He added that accreditation for journalists covering the polls remains open until 8 February 2026.
Bye-Elections in Rivers and Kano
INEC will also conduct bye-elections on the same day in Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies in Rivers State, as well as Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies in Kano State, following vacancies created by resignation and deaths of lawmakers.
Ekiti, Osun and 2027 Elections
The Commission confirmed that the Ekiti State governorship election will hold on 20 June 2026, while Osun State will go to the polls on 8 August 2026. Professor Amupitan also revealed that the timetable for the 2027 General Election has been finalised in line with the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022, while urging the National Assembly to expedite amendments to the electoral law.
Voter Revalidation and CVR
In a major policy announcement, the INEC Chairman said the Commission will soon commence a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise to clean up the voters’ register ahead of 2027, citing challenges such as duplicate registrations and inclusion of deceased persons.
He added that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise has already recorded over 2.7 million new voters, warning that double registration is illegal and will attract sanctions, including removal from the register.
Media Urged to Tackle Misinformation
Professor Amupitan cautioned that elections are increasingly being contested in the information space, stressing that misinformation, disinformation and foreign interference pose serious threats to electoral integrity. He urged the media to rely on INEC’s official channels and promote accurate, responsible reporting.
He also appealed to journalists to intensify voter sensitisation on PVC collection in the FCT before the 10 February 2026 deadline, and to discourage hate speech, vote buying and electoral violence.
The INEC Chairman concluded by reaffirming the Commission’s openness to continuous engagement with the media, describing them as critical partners in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
