The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday continued its series of stakeholder engagements with a consultative meeting involving media executives, as preparations intensify for multiple elections in 2026 and the 2027 General Election.
Prof. Amupitan said the meeting marked his first formal interface with the media since assuming office and underscored the Commission’s resolve to strengthen collaboration with the press in an era where elections are increasingly influenced by information flow.
He disclosed that preparations for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, have reached an advanced stage. According to him, non-sensitive materials have been delivered and batched across the six Area Councils, while sensitive materials will be deployed a day before the polls. He added that BVAS devices are currently being configured for voter accreditation and upload of results to the IReV portal.
The INEC Chairman announced that a mock accreditation exercise will be conducted on February 7, 2026, in 289 selected polling units across the FCT, with details to be published on the Commission’s website. He also revealed that 83 domestic and five foreign observer groups have been accredited for the election, while online accreditation for journalists remains open until February 8, 2026.
Prof. Amupitan, SAN, also informed media executives that the Commission will soon commence a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of the 2027 General Election. He explained that the exercise is aimed at strengthening the credibility of the national voters’ register by addressing anomalies such as duplicate registrations, under-age voters and entries of deceased persons.
He cautioned that misinformation, disinformation and foreign information manipulation pose serious risks to electoral integrity, urging the media to rely on INEC’s official platforms for accurate information. According to him, elections are now contested not only at polling units but also within the information space.
Responding on behalf of the media, President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya Abdullahi, reaffirmed the media’s readiness to collaborate with INEC to promote credible and peaceful elections. He noted the growing public anxiety over the release of the 2027 election timetable and assured that the media remains prepared to provide platforms for voter education and election-related activities.
Abdullahi also appealed to the Commission to prioritize training and capacity-building for journalists, particularly ahead of the implementation of a new Electoral Act. He disclosed that NUJ, in collaboration with other professional bodies, is developing proposals and training modules to enhance election reporting nationwide.
He urged journalists to uphold national security and national interest in their reportage
