• Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, has warned of potential election threats, emphasising that credible polls are closely tied to national security ahead of the 2027 elections
• Professor Joash Amupitan highlighted social media volatility and AI disinformation as major threats to electoral integrity
• Declining voter turnout in Nigeria poses security risks, making public trust in elections essential for democracy

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

FCT, Abuja – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sounded a strong warning over emerging threats to Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections.

Legit.ng reports that INEC declared that credible polls are inseparable from national security.

2027 election: INEC raises concern about insecurity

Speaking on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the second annual lecture of the alumni association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), INEC chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), emphasised that elections and security must no longer be treated as separate concerns but as “two sides of the same coin of national stability.”

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He warned that Nigeria is entering a critical phase following the release of the 2027 election timetable, noting that the scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, and governorship polls on February 6, 2027, now represent not just political milestones but “a security trigger.”

INEC warns of election threats

According to a statement shared on the verified X (formerly Twitter) page of INEC, Amupitan identified a “sophisticated triad” of threats facing Nigeria’s elections, including social media volatility, AI-driven disinformation, and Foreign Information Manipulation (FIMI), compounded by logistical and security challenges such as insurgency and communal conflicts.

He stated:

“Without a secure environment, the sovereign will of the people is not just threatened; it is silenced.”

The INEC chairman stressed that restoring public trust in elections is vital to preventing unrest, warning that declining voter turnout, from 53% in 2011 to 26% in 2023, poses a serious security risk by creating a vacuum that could be exploited by destabilising actors.

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He highlighted the Commission’s reliance on technological tools such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as critical safeguards against fraud, while calling for stronger inter-agency collaboration through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

The event gathered key figures from the executive, legislature, judiciary, and security sectors, highlighting a unified commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy. Also present were national commissioners, aides to the INEC chairman, and INEC directors.

Read more on the 2027 election:

INEC speaks on diaspora voting

Legit.ng earlier reported that ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, INEC chairman said there are recommendations in support of diaspora voting.

The INEC boss spoke at a meeting with the resident electoral commissioners (RECs).

Diaspora voting allows non-resident Nigerians to vote and choose who leads the West African country.

Source: Legit.ng