The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that the era of ballot box snatching and manual manipulation of election results is over, assuring Nigerians that technological innovations and electoral reforms will safeguard the integrity of the 2027 general elections.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that ballot box snatching and manual manipulation of election results will no longer determine election outcomes in the country. He said recent technological improvements and reforms introduced by the commission have significantly strengthened the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan made the declaration on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters.
According to him, innovations deployed by INEC have made it increasingly difficult for individuals or groups to alter election results through traditional methods such as ballot box snatching or manual collation fraud.
He stressed that every valid vote cast in the 2027 elections would be protected through technology-driven electoral processes.
The INEC chairman said the commission is intensifying voter education and public enlightenment in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency to combat voter apathy, misinformation and electoral disinformation ahead of the polls.
He noted that while technological safeguards have improved election integrity, citizens must also play their part by participating peacefully and resisting attempts to undermine the democratic process.
Professor Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting free, fair and credible elections, emphasizing that the commission would continue deploying technology to enhance transparency throughout accreditation, voting, collation and result management.
He also called on Nigerians to support the commission’s efforts by obeying electoral laws and rejecting violence during elections.
The declaration comes as INEC and other stakeholders intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections. The commission says strengthening public confidence, expanding voter education and leveraging technology remain central to delivering credible polls across the country.