Speaking on Thursday at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room in Abuja, Amupitan said the country’s fragile telecommunications network remains one of INEC’s most difficult operational challenges, especially as critical tools such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) depend on reliable connectivity.
He noted that real-time upload of results from more than 176,000 polling units—many located in remote areas—continues to pose difficulties, but assured that INEC is deepening engagements with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and network providers while exploring alternative technologies to strengthen system reliability.
The INEC chief said that although BVAS has effectively curtailed over-voting and other manipulations, and IReV has enhanced transparency, technology alone cannot deliver credible elections. He warned that vote-buying, misinformation, violence and rigging remain persistent threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
Amupitan also expressed concern over declining voter turnout, describing the 27 per cent participation recorded in the 2023 general elections as alarming. He highlighted the recent Anambra off-cycle election—where PVC collection rose from 63.9 to 98.8 per cent after an extension—as proof that improved mobilisation can significantly boost participation when stakeholders collaborate effectively.
Providing updates on the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), he said 2,685,725 registrations have so far been completed. Osun, Kano, Sokoto, Imo, Borno and Lagos are among the states leading in new registrations, which he described as evidence of growing political awareness across the country.
On the influence of money in elections, the INEC Chairman warned that vote-buying undermines citizens’ choices and damages the legitimacy of elected leaders. He said INEC is intensifying collaboration with security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to strengthen monitoring, intelligence gathering and enforcement.
Amupitan reaffirmed that credible elections remain the foundation of democracy, stressing that public trust is built when citizens believe their votes count. He concluded with optimism, saying Nigeria’s democratic future remains secure if all stakeholders uphold the rule of law and commit to transparency.
