2027: INEC Urges Traditional Rulers to Mobilise Voters, Promote Peaceful Campaigns

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on traditional rulers across Nigeria to use their influence to encourage voter participation and promote peaceful, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, made the appeal on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty Oba Riliwanu Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, at the Iga Idunganran Palace in Lagos.

The visit formed part of INEC’s South-West Zonal Readiness Assessment and Staff Interactive Session, which marks the beginning of the Commission’s nationwide engagement across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones ahead of the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said the South-West was selected to begin the exercise because of the strategic role played by Lagos and the region in Nigeria’s electoral and democratic processes.

According to him, the exercise is designed not only to assess the Commission’s operational preparedness but also to engage key stakeholders whose support can contribute to increased participation and peaceful elections.

The INEC Chairman formally informed the Oba of Lagos of the dates fixed for the 2027 General Election.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Amupitan said INEC was working towards delivering a technologically driven, transparent and inclusive election, with continued improvements to its electoral processes, including online voter registration and result management.

However, he stressed that technology alone would not be sufficient to guarantee a successful electoral process.

“Technology alone cannot build a democracy; people do,” the INEC Chairman said, stressing the importance of citizens taking ownership of the democratic process through active participation.

He urged traditional rulers to use their moral authority to mobilise eligible Nigerians to complete the required voter registration processes and collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the statutory deadlines.

Amupitan also appealed to the Oba of Lagos and the Lagos Traditional Council to support efforts to ensure that political campaigns ahead of the election remain focused on issues and policies.

He urged traditional rulers to discourage politicians and their supporters from engaging in character assassination, hate speech, inflammatory rhetoric and campaigns of calumny.

The INEC Chairman said political actors should concentrate on presenting their policies and programmes to voters rather than attacking opponents, warning that the preservation of peace in Lagos and across Nigeria should take priority over political ambitions.

He also said the Commission’s nationwide readiness assessment was intended to ensure that INEC personnel remain professional, neutral and impartial in carrying out their responsibilities.

According to him, INEC had already engaged Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers and Heads of Departments across the South-West, reminding them of the laws and regulations governing the conduct of elections.

Amupitan said the Commission remained committed to delivering a 2027 election capable of strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system and contributing to national unity.

Responding, the Oba of Lagos welcomed INEC’s decision to commence its zonal readiness assessment in Lagos and expressed optimism about the Commission’s leadership under Amupitan.

The monarch urged the INEC Chairman and National Commissioners to remain honest, firm and committed to their responsibilities.

Akiolu also called on politicians to move away from short-term patronage and focus instead on genuine capacity building and policies that improve the lives of citizens.

The monarch similarly backed the call for issue-based campaigns, urging political actors to avoid hate speech and inflammatory statements during the election season.

He called on traditional rulers to continue guiding their communities and encouraging eligible citizens to exercise their democratic rights.

Akiolu also appealed to the Federal Government to provide adequate and timely funding for the 2027 elections, stressing that INEC should receive the resources required to effectively carry out its constitutional responsibilities.

The meeting with the Oba of Lagos preceded INEC’s wider engagements across the South-West as the electoral body intensifies preparations for the 2027 General Election.