Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said Nigeria faced a sophisticated triad of electoral challenges, which included the convergence of social media volatility, the weaponisation of AI-driven disinformation, Foreign Information Manipulation (FIMI) and logistic deficit ahead of the 2027 elections.

He disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the 2nd annual Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) with the theme: “Credible Elections and National Security in Nigeria.”

The chairman said in the journey toward democratic consolidation, they must move past the notion that elections and security were parallel tracks.

He added that they were, in fact, two sides of the same coin of national stability, saying while the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Electoral Act 2026, and INEC Regulations provided the legal framework of the country’s democracy, it was the security architecture that provided the enabling environment for those laws to breathe.

Amupitan stressed that without a secure environment, the sovereign will of the people was not just threatened; it would be silenced.

He noted that the event was a reminder that credible elections were the bedrock of democracy, and indeed, they served as a litmus test for the strength and resilience of our national security architecture.

“The interplay between election integrity and national security is profound; one sustains the other. To have a peaceful, secure, and prosperous nation, the credibility of our elections cannot be compromised.

“In Nigeria, our electoral system has faced numerous challenges over the years, ranging from malpractices to threats of violence, vote trading that undermine the confidence of the electorate.

“These challenges not only affect the outcome of elections but also pose significant risks to our national security. Thus, it is imperative that we address these concerns with utmost seriousness and resolve.

“We meet at a critical juncture following the Commission’s recent release of the Notice of Election for the 2027 General Election.

“With the Presidential and National Assembly elections set for January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for February 6, 2027, this roadmap is no longer just an administrative timeline; it is a security trigger.

“Today, Nigeria faces a sophisticated triad of electoral challenges: the convergence of social media volatility, the weaponisation of AI-driven disinformation, Foreign Information Manipulation (FIMI) and logistic deficit.

“When these digital threats intersect with physical challenges like insurgency and communal strife, the trust deficit widens. It is our collective responsibility to close this gap with surgical precision- hence the importance of this lecture,” Amupitan stated.

Amupitan pointed out that they must recognise that credible elections foster public trust in governance, and the trust was crucial for national security.

He was of the opinion that whenever citizens believed in the electoral process, they were more likely to accept the outcomes, reducing the tensions that can lead to unrest.

“Therefore, it is incumbent upon us as stakeholders—INEC, security agencies, civil society, and the electorate—to collaborate in fortifying the systems that underpin our elections,” Amupitan noted.

The chairman said under his leadership, the Commission’s approach was anchored on the Supremacy of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

He added that the commission was currently navigating a new statutory frontier where adjustments to timelines demanded earlier and more rigorous security deployments.

“We are not merely watching the law; we are enforcing its technical safeguards—specifically the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV)—as the ultimate defense against electoral fraud,” Amupitan said. (Arise News)

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