By Uriel Ihotu
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has appealed to the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR, to encourage political parties, candidates and their supporters to embrace peaceful and issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Amupitan made the appeal on Sunday, September 27, during a courtesy visit to the Emir’s Palace in Zaria, Kaduna State, as part of INEC’s nationwide Zonal Readiness Assessment and Interactive Staff Engagement for the 2027 elections.
The INEC Chairman said traditional institutions have an important role to play in promoting peaceful participation, particularly among young people.
“Elections must never be treated as do-or-die affairs, but as a peaceful celebration of civic choice,” Amupitan said.
He urged the Emir to counsel youths against being used as instruments of political violence and thuggery, while encouraging residents of the Zazzau Emirate to participate peacefully in the electoral process.
Amupitan also stressed the importance of voter participation, including obtaining Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and turning out peacefully to vote.
According to him, INEC’s engagement with traditional rulers is part of its broader stakeholder consultations and preparations for the 2027 elections.
He said the scale of conducting a nationwide election requires early planning, operational discipline, testing and continuous engagement with stakeholders.
The INEC Chairman also reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to neutrality, fairness and transparency, saying the Commission has no candidate or political party to favour.
The Emir of Zazzau, in response, commended the INEC Chairman for the engagement and highlighted issues he considered important to the electoral process, including fairness, justice, security, timely information and the prompt release of election results.
The Emir also urged INEC to address challenges recorded during previous elections, particularly delays in the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials and technical issues involving election technology.
He called for election equipment to be properly tested before deployment and urged INEC to ensure that electoral officials and materials arrive at polling units on time.
The Emir further appealed to political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly during the campaign period and avoid hate speech and other actions capable of threatening peace and national cohesion.
INEC’s official timetable currently lists February 20, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 6, 2027, for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The INEC delegation is in Kaduna as part of its nationwide readiness assessment and is scheduled to engage staff from the North-West states on Monday, September 28, 2026.
