Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has asserted that incidents involving ballot box snatching and the manual manipulation of election results are now a thing of the past. During a meeting in Abuja with the National Orientation Agency Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Amupitan emphasized that current technological advancements ensure the integrity of every vote for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Highlighting the electoral calendar, which sets the presidential election for January 16 and gubernatorial races for February 6, 2027, the INEC head stressed the urgency of public engagement. He identified voter apathy and the spread of misinformation as significant threats to electoral fairness. Amupitan stated that the commission must proactively communicate with citizens—from rural farmers to urban youth—to demonstrate that modern systems prevent illegal interference with votes.
He noted that there is a growing gap between technological progress and public perception, signaling a clear need for comprehensive voter education. The commission plans to commence these outreach efforts immediately rather than waiting until the election period approaches.
