Ibrahim Suleiman
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sought the support of traditional institutions in the North-West geopolitical zone for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
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Chairman of the Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, made the appeal when he led National Commissioners and members of the Commission’s management on a visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli.
Amupitan said the support of traditional institutions was indispensable to the success of the electoral process, particularly in promoting peaceful participation at the grassroots.
He explained that the Commission deliberately commenced its engagement in the North-West with the Zazzau Emirate because of its historical role as a centre of knowledge and culture, as well as its contribution to national stability.
According to him, the visit was part of INEC’s tradition of engaging traditional rulers, noting that the Commission had previously visited the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Ooni of Ife, Ataoja of Osogbo and Oba of Lagos during off-cycle elections and zonal engagements.
The INEC Chairman said while technology and logistics were important to election administration, peaceful elections ultimately depended on the conduct and participation of citizens.
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He therefore called for the support of traditional rulers, whom he described as custodians of public trust and influential stakeholders at the grassroots.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC was auditing and strengthening its administrative, technological and logistical systems across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said an election involving more than 103 million registered voters required early planning, operational discipline and extensive stakeholder engagement, adding that the Commission had moved away from last-minute preparations.
The Chairman urged the Zazzau Emirate Council to mobilise citizens to participate in all stages of the electoral process, particularly the forthcoming Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection exercise.
Responding, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, urged INEC to address recurring challenges associated with elections, including the late distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials and malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
The Emir also advocated for comprehensive testing of BVAS devices before their deployment to polling units, saying this would help strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
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Bamalli assured the Commission that the Emirate would continue to sensitise residents to obey the law, shun hate speech and promote peace before, during and after the elections.
He commended INEC’s stated commitment to fairness, justice and a level playing field for political parties, while urging the Commission to ensure a secure electoral environment, timely dissemination of information and prompt declaration of election results.