2027: Era of ballot box snatching, result changing over – INEC Chair, Amupitan

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, has declared that the era of electorates snatching ballot boxes or changing results are over.

Amupitan informed Nigerians that the technology used now is strong enough to make sure every vote in the 2027 general elections is protected.

Amupitan made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja when he received the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, on a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters.

The INEC head remembered that the presidential election is on January 16 and the governor elections on February 6, 2027.He said the commission needs to start serious efforts to involve the public right away.

He also warned that people not caring about voting and false information are big risks to the fairness of the election process.

The INEC Chairman said, “We need to explain to them why their vote is important and how our new laws and technology help keep their choices safe.

“We need to meet the rural farmer, the marketplace seller, and the discouraged city youth straight on and tell them, in a way they can understand, that because of the existing technology, the time when people could take over ballot boxes or change results by hand is over.

“This shows that even though our technology is getting better, people are not keeping up with how the system is changing. He said,

“This is a clear sign that there is a lot more work to do in educating voters deeply and thoroughly, and it shows we can’t wait until right before the 2027 elections to start engaging with our people.”