INEC Boss Declares End to Ballot Box Snatching Ahead of 2027 Elections

(Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan. Photo by Sho Pen Online)

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), has assured Nigerians that technological safeguards introduced by the commission have ended the era of ballot box snatching and manual manipulation of election results ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan made the remark on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, during a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters, where both agencies pledged to strengthen collaboration on voter education ahead of the polls.

He said Nigerians must understand that their votes matter, stressing that advances in election technology have made ballot box snatching and manual manipulation of results a thing of the past.

He explained that technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) have improved the credibility of elections by protecting votes and making result manipulation more difficult.

The INEC chairman, however, expressed concern over voter apathy and misinformation, noting that many Nigerians still do not fully understand the country’s evolving electoral process.

He stressed that technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections without an informed and active electorate.

According to him, recent elections in the Federal Capital Territory and Ekiti State recorded improvements in logistics, biometric accreditation and result uploads, but also exposed low voter turnout and confusion over polling unit changes and voter registration transfers.

Amupitan called for intensified grassroots voter education to encourage participation, combat vote-buying and misinformation, and ensure Nigerians understand the importance of their votes.

He also pledged INEC’s full support for a stronger partnership with the NOA to deepen civic education ahead of the 2027 general elections.