2027: Elections must never be treated as do-or-die affairs – INEC Chair, Amupitan appeals to Emir of Zazzau

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has urged the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, to advise political parties, candidates, and their supporters to engage in non-violent, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections. During a visit to the Emir's palace in Zaria, Kaduna State, Amupitan emphasized that elections should be celebrated peacefully as an expression of citizens' choices.

He cautioned against allowing youth to be exploited as tools for political violence and urged the Emir to promote active participation of Zazzau Emirate people in the electoral process, including the collection of Permanent Voters' Cards and peaceful voting on election day. The INEC chairman explained that the visit aimed to strengthen engagement with traditional rulers, citing previous consultations with various monarchs in preparation for other state elections.

Amupitan highlighted the Commission's commitment to early planning, operational discipline, and deep stakeholder engagement as Nigeria's national voter register nears 100 million. The INEC chairman announced fixed statutory dates for the 2027 general elections, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, and the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027.

He assured the Emirate of INEC's neutrality, fairness, and transparency, stating that the Commission has no interest other than the will of the Nigerian people. The Emir welcomed the INEC delegation and praised the chairman for providing timely information on preparations for the 2027 general elections, emphasizing key elements for a successful electoral process, such as fairness, justice, security, timely information dissemination, and prompt release of results.

The Emir also called for adequate testing of election equipment and timeous deployment of election officials and materials to strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.