By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has warned its staff against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and ethical breaches as preparations intensify for the 2027 General Election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the warning on Monday in Kaduna while declaring open the North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 General Election.
Amupitan told Electoral Officers, Heads of Departments and senior administrative staff from the zone that the Commission would strictly enforce its Code of Conduct, stressing that protecting INEC’s institutional integrity was non-negotiable.
He said the conduct of field officials remained critical to the credibility of elections, warning that administrative lapses could fuel disinformation, voter apathy and public distrust.
“When a polling unit opens late, when an officer displays nonchalance or perceived bias, or when technical glitches are met with silence, we inadvertently validate the cynics, deepen voter apathy, and fuel disinformation,” he said.
The INEC chairman reminded officials of the oath of loyalty and neutrality required under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026, which binds electoral officials and security personnel involved in elections to administer the process without preference for any candidate or political party.
He urged staff to allow the law, rather than political considerations, to guide their decisions.
“The question must never be ‘Who will benefit from this decision?’ but always ‘What does the law require me to do?’” he said.
Amupitan also cautioned against improvisations and informal shortcuts in election administration, directing staff to strictly follow procedures prescribed by the Electoral Act 2026, the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 and other relevant guidelines.
He said operational challenges should be escalated through formal institutional channels.
According to him, legal frameworks and technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections, noting that the credibility of an election ultimately depends on how faithfully electoral officials implement the law.
The chairman described INEC staff as the face of the Commission in their respective communities and urged them to know the law, remain neutral and properly document their actions.
He said every administrative decision must be capable of withstanding public scrutiny and judicial review.
Amupitan explained that the Kaduna engagement was part of a six-zone Interactive Meetings and Readiness Assessment tour being undertaken ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said his decision to personally attend the zonal meetings, alongside National Commissioners and Directors, reflected the Commission’s belief that election success was determined largely by activities in the field.
The chairman commended staff for their performance during recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State Governorship Election, but cautioned that the 2027 polls would present a larger challenge as elections would be conducted simultaneously across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
On staff welfare, Amupitan said the Commission remained committed to improving the welfare and security of its workforce.
He disclosed that INEC had established the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), effective January 1, 2026, while overhead allocations to state offices were increased by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026.
He also announced the commencement of procurement and distribution of new operational pick-up vehicles to state offices and Local Government Areas nationwide to improve staff mobility, security and operational efficiency.
Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the Kaduna meeting was the second stop in the six-zone tour after Lagos.
Haruna said the exercise was aimed at mobilizing staff to deliver credible elections and disclosed that collection of newly printed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) would commence early October.
He urged traditional rulers to encourage eligible citizens to collect their PVCs and exercise their constitutional right to vote.
The Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, said the zonal exercise was designed to assess the preparedness of states and identify operational challenges ahead of the elections.
She added that the meetings would also ensure that staff remained aligned with the Commission’s Code of Conduct.
Representatives of INEC’s Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, ICT, Human Resources, and Election and Operations departments also made presentations on their respective responsibilities and preparations for the 2027 elections.
