By Sandra Michaels
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has called on the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Bamalli, to counsel politicians and youths against electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Professor Amupitan made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Emir’s palace in Zaria as part of the Commission’s nationwide readiness assessment, emphasizing that elections must never be treated as a do-or-die affair.
While urging youths not to allow themselves to be used as tools for political thuggery, the INEC chief also charged citizens to actively participate in the electoral process, ranging from the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to peaceful voting on election days.
Responding, the Emir of Zazzau commended INEC for its proactive and timely engagement. He identified fairness, adequate security, and the prompt release of election results as critical pillars for credible polls, while urging the electoral body to address the historical challenge of late distribution of materials and to thoroughly test all election technologies before deployment.
In his remarks, the INEC Chairman reassured the traditional ruler of the Commission’s absolute neutrality, maintaining that INEC has no preferred candidate or political party, but remains strictly committed to upholding the will of the Nigerian people.
