The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has urged security agencies to strengthen planning, deployment, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency coordination for the upcoming FCT area council elections and by-elections in Rivers and Kano States scheduled for February 21.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, made the call during the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday. He emphasized that early planning and intelligence gathering are crucial to ensure a safe, peaceful, and credible electoral process.
Amupitan highlighted the importance of enforcing the law, preventing the use of thugs, curbing vote buying, and ensuring the safety of voters and election personnel. He stressed that administrative readiness alone is not sufficient without effective security coordination, communication, rapid response mechanisms, and professionalism, especially in high-risk areas.
The INEC chairman praised the professionalism and dedication of security agencies during the recent Anambra off-cycle governorship election, which was conducted peacefully with a winner declared on the first ballot. He urged the agencies to maintain similar standards in the forthcoming elections to prevent avoidable challenges.
Professor Amupitan also called for sustained security engagement for the upcoming Ekiti and Osun States governorship elections and the 2027 general elections. He noted that credible elections depend on citizens feeling safe to participate and stressed the need for security support during the nationwide voter revalidation exercise and ongoing continuous voter registration.
“Elections succeed when institutions work in harmony. The credibility of our elections and our democracy depends largely on your ability to secure the electoral process from start to finish,” he said, urging vigilance, proactive measures, and unity of purpose in navigating the demanding electoral year.
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