By HENRY OLADELE

Dr Abayomi Shogunle, Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, has assured Nigerians of adequate security during the 2027 general elections.

Shogunle ‌‌‍‍‌‍⁠⁠‍‌‌‌‌‌⁠‌gave the assurance while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the 10th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos on Thursday.

The conference, held at Radisson Blu Hotel, had the theme: “2027 Elections: Trust, Transparency and Shared Responsibilities.”

Shogunle said electoral security managers at the state level must work together to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

He said stakeholders must operate within the provisions of the Constitution, Electoral Act, Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) regulations and constitutions of political parties.

“I mean state leaders on electoral security management should come together and ensure that everything being done is based on the rules and laws of the land,” he said.

He said strict adherence to the rules by all stakeholders would contribute significantly to peaceful elections in 2027.

Shogunle said the Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Olatunji Rilwan Disu, was committed to a free, fair and peaceful election.

“From the Nigerian Police Force, under the leadership of Inspector General of Police, IG Olatunji Disu, Nigerians should expect a free, fair, peaceful election,” he said.

He assured Nigerians that electoral materials would be adequately protected, while voters would receive necessary security to enable them cast their ballots safely.

The commissioner also assured electoral officials and other personnel deployed for election duties of adequate security throughout the exercise.

He added that journalists and other media personnel covering the 2027 elections should also expect adequate protection while performing their duties.

Earlier, GOCOP President, Mr Danlami Nmodu urged the INEC to strengthen trust and transparency ahead of the 2027 elections.

Nmodu said credible elections required collective responsibility among INEC, political parties, the media, government and citizens.

He urged politicians to prioritise the welfare of Nigerians, while journalists should report facts fairly and hold both government and opposition accountable.

“Our duty as journalists is to put the spotlight on those in government as well as the opposition. We must report facts and be fair and balanced,” he said.

Nmodu also urged the government to tackle insecurity, enhance peace and support economic activities to create opportunities for Nigerians to work and invest.

He called for continued partnership between government, GOCOP and the wider Nigerian press to protect media practitioners and promote credible journalism.

In his keynote address, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, represented by Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami, said the commission had intensified preparations for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said INEC had undertaken structural, technological and logistical reforms to strengthen electoral administration and public confidence ahead of the polls.

He said the commission had completed three phases of continuous voter registration, capturing more than 10.6 million new voters.

According to him, the voter register had reached 103 million registered citizens following the completion of the registration and data-synchronisation processes.

He announced that nationwide collection of newly printed Permanent Voter Cards would begin on Friday.

He urged GOCOP members and other online publishers to educate and mobilise registered voters to collect their cards at designated centres.

Amupitan said INEC had also upgraded the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, and had commenced nationwide audits to ensure the devices were ready for deployment.

He said enhanced result-transmission technology would digitise polling-unit results immediately after counting and transmit them to the public viewing platform.

He appealed to media organisations to collaborate with INEC on fact verification and public enlightenment throughout the electoral process.

The Chairman of the occasion, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, said the guild’s objective was not to criticise INEC but to help it deliver credible, transparent and free elections.

Agbakoba described Nigerians as shareholders in the country’s democratic process and urged voters to participate actively rather than treating election day as a holiday.

He identified the rising cost of living as a major issue that should receive attention during the 2027 election campaign.

Agbakoba also urged presidential candidates to clearly explain their positions on fuel pricing, crude oil and subsidy policies before seeking voters’ support.

He challenged GOCOP to move beyond reporting political defections and focus more on policies affecting Nigerians’ welfare.

The two-day conference brought together online publishers, media stakeholders and other participants to discuss Nigeria’s 2027 elections. (NAN)