The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has warned that individuals who attack, threaten or intimidate electoral officials, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed for election duties, will face prosecution.
Amupitan gave the warning on Saturday during the Commissionâs South-South Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
According to a statement published on INECâs official X account, the chairman urged electoral personnel across the South-South geopolitical zone to demonstrate professionalism, impartiality, discipline and accountability in the discharge of their responsibilities.
He cautioned that acts of partisanship, negligence, absenteeism and financial misconduct among electoral officials would attract appropriate disciplinary measures.
Amupitan explained that the zonal readiness assessment was designed to evaluate the Commissionâs operational capacity, identify potential challenges and strengthen service delivery ahead of the nationwide elections.
He noted that INECâs experiences from the governorship elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections and 16 by-elections had provided valuable lessons for preparations towards 2027.
Providing an overview of the electoral landscape in the region, the INEC chairman disclosed that the South-South zone currently has 15,823,550 registered voters, with Rivers State accounting for 3,736,434.
He emphasised that the Commission would work to ensure that no eligible voter is denied the opportunity to exercise their franchise due to administrative shortcomings or logistical failures.
On preparations for election technology, Amupitan revealed that the Commission was making arrangements for its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), including the deployment of 57,000 newly procured devices.
He added that INEC was auditing its electronic result management systems to improve transparency and strengthen the transmission of election results through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The chairman also addressed concerns surrounding suspicious photographs identified in the preliminary votersâ register recently published online, assuring that the Commission was reviewing the records and would implement necessary corrections based on verified findings.
He encouraged Nigerians to participate in the ongoing display, claims and objections exercise ahead of the scheduled December 15, 2026 publication of the final votersâ register.
Amupitan further acknowledged the logistical challenges associated with conducting elections in the South-South region, particularly in riverine communities, coastal settlements and locations separated by waterways.
To address these difficulties, he disclosed that INEC had concluded a Memorandum of Understanding with the Maritime Transporters Union to facilitate the timely and secure movement of election personnel and materials.
On election security, the chairman reaffirmed the Commissionâs partnership with relevant security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
He said the collaboration would prioritise intelligence gathering, security planning and the protection of voters, election materials and personnel throughout the electoral process.
Amupitan specifically warned that attacks against INEC officials and NYSC members would not be tolerated, stressing that anyone found responsible for threatening or assaulting them would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
He also urged electoral staff to familiarise themselves with relevant electoral laws, regulations and operational guidelines to prevent actions capable of compromising the credibility of the polls.
The INEC chairman highlighted several welfare initiatives introduced to improve staff conditions, including the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), improved salaries, hazard and field allowances.
He further disclosed that monthly overhead allocations for state offices had been increased by 150 per cent, with the adjustment taking effect from July 1, 2026.
The zonal meeting is part of INECâs broader preparations for the 2027 general elections, as the Commission continues to assess its personnel, logistics, technology and security arrangements ahead of the nationwide exercise.