RismadarVoice Reporters
October 5, 2026
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed to intensify its crackdown on vote-buying, illegal campaign spending, hate speech and electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, issued the warning on Monday in Abuja during a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in collaboration with the commission.
Amupitan said INEC was working with relevant government agencies to monitor campaign finances and reduce the influence of illicit money on the electoral process.
The commission is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
According to Amupitan, joint financial monitoring teams will be deployed to track illegal campaign spending, while surveillance operations will also be carried out at polling units across the country.
He warned political actors and their agents against offering cash or material inducements in exchange for votes, saying offenders risk arrest and prosecution under the Electoral Act 2026.
The INEC chairman also warned political parties, candidates and campaign managers against violence, intimidation and inflammatory rhetoric as campaigns intensify.
Amupitan said the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security had activated an early-warning framework to monitor political violence, thuggery and potentially dangerous campaign rhetoric.
He warned that political actors found inciting violence, disrupting opponents’ rallies or deploying armed thugs could face sanctions and prosecution.
“No political office in this country is worth the blood of a single Nigerian,” Amupitan said.
He also expressed concern over reports involving firearms during political activities and urged politicians and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly throughout the campaign period.
Amupitan maintained that elections should provide Nigerians with a peaceful opportunity to choose their leaders rather than become a source of violence or intimidation.
The commission has also said it has no preferred candidate or political party and remains committed to conducting a free, fair, transparent and credible 2027 general election.
