…charges staff against errors in next year’s polls

…As Rivers records 3.7m voters

Joash Amupitan, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has told electoral officials that the commission was facing a serious trust deficit ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that it cannot afford avoidable errors that the public may interpret as deliberate manipulation.

Amupitan spoke in Port Harcourt during the South-South Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff of the commission in readiness for the general election.

He charged electoral officials to commence electoral activities early, resolve result-related issues at polling units and transmit results promptly.

“Because we face a serious trust deficit as an institution, and we cannot even leave anything to chance. Nobody is going to say whatever error that happens is not deliberate,” he said.

The INEC chairman said voting must commence at 8:30 a.m. as regulated, and urged officials to complete accreditation and result-upload processes during daylight to reduce delays and suspicion.

“The BVAS find it easier during the day; it uses light. When it becomes dark, it takes time to upload. This is a problem of trust. Within the day, you finish up on time, then you will reduce the suspicion,” Amupitan said.

He said early commencement of electoral activities and timely transmission of results through the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) are essential to protecting the credibility of the election.

Amupitan added that INEC had introduced the EC8A electronic verification platform to address collation-related issues before results are uploaded to IReV.

“In order to also assist our result management, we have introduced the EC8A form, EC8A verification platform, so that most of the issues that you have with collation are sorted at the polling units before it goes on IReV.

“So that whatever goes on IReV, let us be sure, because everybody in the world will be watching IReV. Let us be sure that it is authentic; it is what they deserve. If there are issues, let the issue be solved before it is transmitted, in the presence of everybody at the polling unit,” he said.

The INEC chairman assured that no eligible voter would be denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise in the coming election due to administrative error or failure to provide necessary electoral materials.

“No eligible voters will be denied opportunity to exercise franchise in the coming election,” Amupitan said.

He also disclosed that Rivers State has the highest number of registered voters in the South-South, with 3.7 million of the zone’s 15.8 million registered voters.

Johnson Alalibo Sinikiem, Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, said the meeting was an opportunity for INEC to demonstrate readiness and identify outstanding tasks ahead of the election.

“This is not merely an occasion to report activities undertaken. It is an opportunity to demonstrate readiness, identify outstanding tasks, establish clear priorities and strengthen the mechanism for monitoring implementation,” he said.

Sinikiem said the commission must pay attention to the preparedness of its offices, adequacy of logistics and personnel, deployment and functionality of electoral technology, security of electoral materials, and voter education.

“We must pay particular attention to the preparedness of our offices, adequacy of logistics and personnel, the deployment and functionality of electoral technology, the security of electoral materials, and the effectiveness of our voter education and public enlightenment strategies,” he said.