Funding key to 2027 election security, logistics – INEC Chairman Amupitan

By Olatonmiwa Osho

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said adequate funding is critical to providing the security and logistics needed for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan spoke on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo State, while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, themed: “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”

He said although INEC’s funding was constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the scale of its responsibilities required sustained financial support. 

Amupitan said security was integral to the electoral process, noting that INEC had statutory powers to request the deployment of security agencies for elections and voter registration.

“Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints,” Amupitan said, stressing that adequate resources were needed to deploy personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units.

He said inadequate logistics could undermine elections even where security agencies succeeded in maintaining peace, adding that security and logistics remained priorities under his leadership.

Amupitan also stressed the importance of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), saying stronger coordination among INEC, the police and other security agencies would be crucial ahead of 2027.

The INEC chairman urged relevant authorities to provide the resources required by the commission and security agencies to discharge their responsibilities effectively.