2027: Attack corps members, election officials, face consequences - INEC chairman warns

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, has warned that anyone who attacks corps members or electoral officials during election duties will face the full weight of the law.

Amupitan gave the warning on Saturday, October 31, 2026, during the commission’s South-South zonal interactive meeting with staff and readiness assessment in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He warned against attacks on National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members deployed for election duties, saying those responsible would face legal consequences.

“Anyone who threatens or harms INEC officials, including National Youth Service Corps members deployed for election duties, would face the full weight of the law,” he warned.

The INEC chairman also cautioned electoral officers against partisanship, negligence, absenteeism and financial misconduct, warning that such conduct would attract disciplinary action.

Amupitan disclosed that the South-South zone has 15,823,550 registered voters, including 3,736,434 in Rivers State, stressing that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised through administrative negligence or logistical failure.

On preparations for the 2027 elections, he said the commission was preparing its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, including 57,000 newly procured devices, while auditing its electronic result management systems to improve transparency in result transmission.

He also said INEC was examining concerns over suspicious photographs on the preliminary voters’ register published online and would take corrective action based on verified findings.

The chairman urged the public to participate in the display, claims and objections process ahead of the publication of the final voters’ register scheduled for December 15, 2026.

He further disclosed that INEC had finalised an agreement with the Maritime Transporters Union to support the transportation of election personnel and materials across the region’s creeks, coastal settlements and riverine communities.