ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria’s electoral commission has warned that emerging digital threats, including foreign interference and artificial intelligence-driven misinformation, could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission said concerns over foreign information manipulation and interference, alongside social media volatility and logistical challenges, present risks to the electoral process.
Speaking at the second annual lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies in Abuja, the commission’s chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, described the threats as intersecting with existing security concerns such as insurgency, communal violence and election-related unrest.
“It is our collective responsibility to close this gap with surgical precision, hence the importance of this lecture. We must recognise that credible elections foster public trust in governance, and this trust is crucial for national security. When citizens believe in the electoral process, they are more likely to accept the outcomes, reducing the tensions that can lead to unrest,” Professor Amupitan said on Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Declining Voter Turnout Raises Concern
Amupitan also highlighted declining voter participation as a growing security concern, noting that turnout has fallen from 53 per cent in 2011 to 26 per cent in 2023.
“Voter apathy is no longer just a civic concern but a growing security challenge. Apathy is a security threat. Despite the peaceful conduct of the FCT council polls, where turnout improved from 9.4 per cent to 15 per cent, voter apathy still remains a sobering challenge. Every vote cast is a brick in the wall of national security,” he said.
In response, INEC said it has introduced updated voter education materials aimed at improving participation.
The commission said the initiative, developed with partners including the Kimpact Development Initiative, includes a revised National Voter Education Manual and a youth-focused civic education guide.
Mohammed Haruna, chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, said voter turnout has declined steadily since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, dropping from over 60 per cent in 2003 to below 30 per cent in recent elections.
“An indifferent electorate is a democracy in retreat,” Haruna said.
Former Official Criticises Electoral Law
A former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, criticised the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026, describing it as a setback for electoral integrity.
“The current amendment to the Electoral Act is a tragedy to our country, a big tragedy. It is a regression,” Igini said at the same event.
He said provisions introduced in the 2026 amendment had weakened earlier reforms under the 2022 law, and warned that the legal framework governing elections plays a decisive role in shaping public confidence.
“The first thing you must ask if an election will be credible is the legal framework that will govern it. The sanctity of laws is key to election management. If the perception is wrong, we are in trouble,” he said.
Igini also expressed concern about what he described as the increasing role of courts in determining election outcomes.
“I am worried about the expanding empire of the courts in determining who becomes the winner of elections in our country. The winner of the election must be determined finally and conclusively at the polling unit and not in the court of law,” he said.
Calls for Restructuring Ahead of 2027 Polls
Separately, a coalition of civil society organisations under the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly to restructure the country before the 2027 elections.
The group made the appeal at a conference in Lagos attended by more than 800 delegates from across the South-West and neighbouring regions.
In a communiqué, the coalition warned that failure to implement structural reforms could heighten tensions ahead of the presidential vote. It also urged adherence to the principle of power rotation, stating that any deviation could affect national stability.
The group further called for reforms to Nigeria’s security architecture, including the establishment of state police, and cautioned against any attempt to undermine democratic governance through military intervention.
Preparations for the 2027 elections continue amid growing debate over electoral reforms, voter participation and national cohesion.
