The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested suspects over an alleged plot targeting ad hoc personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to be deployed for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) stated this at a stakeholders’ meeting in Enugu.
He said intelligence provided by the DSS helped uncover those behind the plot.
However details of the arrests the identities of the suspects the nature of the alleged plot and the reasons for targeting the election personnel were not disclosed.
Amupitan said the suspects would be prosecuted adding that the commission was taking steps to address security challenges before during and after the elections.
He announced plans to organise a security conference to discuss issues relating to election security.
The INEC chairman also said the commission was strengthening its result management systems including the newly introduced eEC8A electronic verification platform.
He said the initiative would make the movement of results from polling units to the national collation centre visible and verifiable in real time through the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Amupitan directed officials to review Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) records in the Southeast and remove obstacles to the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He said no eligible voter should be disenfranchised by administrative or logistical challenges.
The INEC chairman said the commission introduced an online registration portal during the third phase to overcome barriers of distance and time.
The commission has also activated printable PVC technology under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 to reduce delays in obtaining voter cards.
Amupitan said the 2027 elections would involve more than 103 million registered voters across 176846 polling units in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16 while governorship and state assembly elections will be held on February 6.
He commended INEC staff for their performance during recent off-cycle governorship elections in Osun Anambra and Ekiti states as well as the Federal Capital Territory Area Council polls and 16 federal and state bye-elections.
He identified public distrust voter apathy and the spread of misinformation and disinformation as major challenges facing the commission.
He warned that fake news unverified rumours and deepfake videos could undermine public confidence stressing that staff conduct and competence were critical to countering false narratives.
A former INEC National Commissioner Mike Igini said political interference in the recruitment of election personnel could undermine the credibility of the 2027 polls.
Speaking on ARISE News Igini alleged that politicians were infiltrating agencies responsible for supplying election staff potentially exposing INEC to liabilities arising from the actions of other institutions.
‘What happened is that politicians infiltrate those agencies. They infiltrate those agencies and create liability for the INEC itself as an institution.
‘The laws are no longer enforced. That is my greatest worry about this election
Igini stressed the importance of ensuring the integrity of ad hoc personnel particularly presiding officers who oversee voting and the recording of results at polling units.