The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called on traditional rulers to counsel their subjects to see election as civic responsibility and not a do-or-die affair.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who spoke on Sunday when he visited the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, called for non-violent, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Elections must never be treated as do-or-die affairs, but as a peaceful celebration of civic choice,” Prof. Amupitan said.
He urged the monarch to “strongly counsel our youth not to allow themselves to be used as tools in the hands of politicians or instruments of political violence and thuggery.”
The INEC Chairman stated that a vibrant democracy requires an engaged, informed, and participating electorate, and requested that the emir should encourage the people of the emirate to participate actively in all stages of the electoral process.
According to him, conducting a national election in Nigeria, which he regarded as “Africa’s largest democracy,” with a national voter register of nearing a 100 million voters, required early planning, operational discipline, and deep stakeholder engagement.
He disclosed that the commission has moved from last-minute logistics in favour of testing, auditing, and strengthening its operational readiness well ahead of time.
Prof. Amupitan assured that INEC is committed to neutrality, fairness, and transparency, in the conduct of elections in Nigeria, stating that the commission has “no candidate, no political party, and no interest other than the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.”
The emir, in his response, described the engagement as remarkable and important, noting that the visit had helped the emirate and its people gain a clearer understanding of the Commission’s preparations and the election calendar.
Ambassador Bamalli however, called for fairness, justice, a level playing field, security, timely dissemination of information and the prompt release of results, which he said, are critical elements for a successful electoral process.
He also urged INEC to address concerns arising from previous elections, particularly the late distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials and technical challenges associated with election technology.
The emir further called for adequate testing of election equipment before deployment, and for election officials and materials to arrive at polling units on time, as such measures would strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.