The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for adequate and sustained funding ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that financial constraints could affect the security and logistics required for effective polls.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made the call on Wednesday, September 23, 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.”
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said although INEC’s funding was constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the commission’s extensive responsibilities required sustained financial support.
He said INEC’s mandate covered presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state House of Assembly elections, as well as voter registration and political party registration.
The commission also has statutory powers to request security deployment 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.
“The system does make allocations of what is available and what is affordable at a particular time for the expenses and appropriation of the agencies, including the police and also including INEC.
Amupitan identified voter registration as the foundation of credible elections, warning that an inaccurate or outdated voters’ register could undermine the inclusiveness of the electoral process.
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He said adequate funding was essential for deploying personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units, stressing that security alone would not guarantee smooth elections without sufficient logistics.
The INEC chairman also highlighted the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which coordinates INEC, security and government agencies at federal, state and local government levels.
He said stronger inter-agency cooperation would be crucial ahead of 2027, with the police remaining the lead agency for election security.
Additionally, he urged senior police officers to maintain professional neutrality, strengthen intelligence gathering and ensure seamless coordination.
“In Nigeria, we want the best. We want our electoral system to be 100 per cent. But sometimes we don’t ask ourselves the question: if we want the nation to be perfect, there must be a cost for it,” he said.
Amupitan urged relevant authorities to provide INEC and security agencies with the resources required to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
He expressed optimism that the Owerri retreat would produce an actionable roadmap for election security ahead of the 2027 polls.
The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, also urged the police to support and work closely with the INEC chairman, saying robust policing was vital to safeguarding free, fair, credible and transparent elections.