The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned its staff against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and ethical breaches as preparations gather pace for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, issued the warning on Monday in Kaduna while declaring open the Commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment for the 2027 elections.
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Amupitan told Electoral Officers, Heads of Departments and senior administrative staff that the Commission would strictly enforce its code of conduct, stressing that protecting INEC’s institutional integrity remained non-negotiable.
“Partisan leaning, administrative negligence, or compromised ethics will not be tolerated,” he said.
The INEC chairman said the conduct of field officers would be critical to the credibility of the 2027 elections, warning that poor administrative execution could fuel disinformation and voter apathy.
“When a polling unit opens late, when an officer displays nonchalance or perceived bias, or when technical glitches are met with silence, we inadvertently validate the cynics, deepen voter apathy, and fuel disinformation,” he said.
He reminded staff of the oath of loyalty and neutrality required under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires electoral officials and security personnel participating in elections to administer their duties without favouring any candidate or political party.
Amupitan urged staff to allow the law, rather than political considerations, to guide their decisions.
“The question must never be ‘Who will benefit from this decision?’ but always ‘What does the law require me to do?’” he stated.
He also warned against improvisation and informal shortcuts, directing staff to strictly follow procedures contained in the Electoral Act 2026, the Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2026 and other approved guidelines.
According to him, operational challenges should be escalated through formal institutional channels rather than addressed through unofficial measures.
The INEC chairman said the credibility of elections depended not only on the legal framework and technology but also on the manner in which officials implement the law.
“To the voter in a local ward, INEC is not the Chairman in Abuja; INEC is you,” he told the staff.
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He urged them to “know the law, understand your responsibility, remain neutral, document your actions,” noting that every administrative decision should be capable of withstanding public scrutiny and judicial review.
Amupitan said the Kaduna engagement formed part of a six-zone interactive meeting and readiness assessment tour ahead of the 2027 elections.
He explained that his decision to personally attend the zonal engagements, alongside National Commissioners and Directors, was intended to reinforce the importance of field-level election administration.
He recalled the Commission’s performance in recent off-cycle elections, particularly the Osun State governorship election, and commended its staff for their dedication, while warning that the expectations for the 2027 elections would be higher.
“The praise of yesterday raises the expectations of tomorrow,” he said.
The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
On staff welfare, Amupitan said INEC was advancing plans for a new salary and welfare package, adding that the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS) had taken effect from January 1, 2026.
He also disclosed that overhead allocations to State Offices were increased by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026, while the procurement and distribution of new operational pick-up vehicles had commenced nationwide.
Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the Kaduna meeting was the second stop in the six-zone tour after Lagos.
Haruna disclosed that the collection of newly printed Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) would commence on October 9, 2026.
He said the INEC chairman had also informed the Emir of Zazzau of the scheduled commencement of PVC collection and appealed to traditional rulers to encourage eligible citizens to collect their cards and exercise their constitutional right to vote.
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Director of Planning and Monitoring, Helen Ajayi, said the zonal exercise was designed to assess the preparedness of states, identify operational challenges and ensure that staff remained aligned with INEC’s Code of Conduct ahead of the elections.
Directors and representatives from the Voter Education and Publicity, Voter Registry, ICT, Human Resources, and Election and Operations departments also briefed participants on their respective areas of responsibility ahead of the 2027 polls.