The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, on Thursday received the United Nations Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Mohamed Fall, alongside senior UN officials at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, in a high-level engagement focused on strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of key upcoming polls.
Mr. Fall, congratulated Prof. Amupitan on his appointment and commended INEC for the successful conduct of the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
“On behalf of the United Nations in Nigeria, we congratulate you for taking on this critical responsibility,” Fall said. “Nigeria’s democracy, given its demographic size and complexity, comes with enormous challenges. We want to assure you of our prayers and full support to succeed.”
He lauded the peaceful conduct of the FCT elections and reiterated the UN’s readiness to support Nigeria beyond the operational aspects of elections, emphasizing inclusivity and the principle of leaving no one
behind.
Also speaking, the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, highlighted the long-standing collaboration between INEC and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), particularly in technology, innovation, youth engagement, inclusivity, voter education and institutional strengthening.
“We are here to better understand your priority needs and explore how we can leverage our existing programmes as we approach 2027,” Attafuah said.
“There is room to consider a dedicated election support project outside current frameworks. The time is ripe to work together at this crucial moment. If Nigeria succeeds, Africa advances.”
In his remarks, Prof. Amupitan welcomed the UN delegation, noting that the meeting came on the heels of the successful conduct of the FCT Area Council elections, as well as bye-elections in Kano and Rivers States held on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
“The elections were generally peaceful,” he said,
The INEC Chairman stressed that the Commission’s constitutional mandate covers elections at federal and state levels, including those for President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly members.
“We have been in the business of conducting elections for Nigeria, and we value our partnership with UNDP in several critical areas,” he said,
Prof. Amupitan underscored major challenges facing Election Management Bodies (EMBs) across Africa, particularly public trust, voter education, insecurity and the growing threat of misinformation and disinformation.
“Disinformation is the most dangerous,” he warned. “It is when someone knows what they are saying is false but persists in spreading it to undermine constitutional institutions.”
He reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to inclusivity and gender equality, noting the existence of a dedicated Gender and Inclusivity Department within the Commission.
He highlighted measures taken to support persons with disabilities, in line with Nigeria’s Electoral Act and anti-discrimination laws, including the provision of Braille materials for visually impaired voters and assistive devices for persons with albinism.
On technology and transparency, the Chairman said INEC is strengthening safeguards in its result management systems to eliminate past discrepancies and boost public confidence. He added that the Commission is taking steps to clean up the voters’ register, including the removal of deceased persons, to ensure statistical accuracy and integrity.
“We cannot afford to fail our people,” he said. “Our aspiration is that every election we conduct will be better than the last.”
Prof. Amupitan also disclosed that INEC is enhancing its data management systems to become the primary and most credible source of electoral data in Nigeria, with improved digital tools and verifiable, scientific records covering voting patterns and election-day processes.
He reiterated that elections must be credible to strengthen the link between democracy and development, stressing that Nigeria’s success would have ripple effects across Africa.
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