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 use his exalted platform to counsel political parties, candidates and their supporters on the imperative of non-violent, issue-based campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The INEC chairman made the appeal on Sunday during a courtesy visit to the Emir’s palace in Zaria, Kaduna State, as part of the Commission’s nationwide Zonal Readiness Assessment and Interactive Staff Engagement for the 2027 general elections.

“Elections must never be treated as do-or-die affairs, but as a peaceful celebration of civic choice,” Prof. Amupitan said, urging the monarch to “strongly counsel our youth not to allow themselves to be used as tools in the hands of politicians or instruments of political violence and thuggery.”

He further called on the Emir to encourage the people of Zazzau Emirate to actively participate in all stages of the electoral process, from the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to turning out peacefully to vote on election days, stating that “a vibrant democracy requires an engaged, informed, and participating electorate.”

Amupitan explained that the visit was part of the Commission’s established tradition of deep engagement with traditional rulers, recalling similar consultations with the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti during the Ekiti governorship election, more than 50 Osun monarchs, including the Ooni of Ife and the Ataoja of Osogbo, ahead of the Osun governorship election, and the Oba of Lagos and the White Cap Chiefs during the Commission’s South-West Zonal Assessment tour.

He noted that conducting a national election in “Africa’s largest democracy,” with a national voter register rapidly approaching the 100 million mark, required early planning, operational discipline and deep stakeholder engagement.

He added that the Commission had moved away from last-minute logistics in favour of testing, auditing and strengthening its operational readiness well ahead of time.

He disclosed that the Commission had fixed the statutory dates for the 2027 general elections, with the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, and the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027.

He stressed that all administrative, technological and logistical frameworks were being fortified across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The INEC chairman assured the Emirate that under his leadership, “INEC remains unreservedly committed to absolute neutrality, fairness, and transparency,” stating that the Commission had “no candidate, no political party, and no interest other than the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.”

Responding, the Emir of Zazzau, Amb. Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, commended the INEC chairman for leading the Commission’s delegation to the palace and for providing timely information on preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The Emir described the engagement as remarkable and important, noting that the visit had helped the Emirate and its people gain a clearer understanding of the Commission’s preparations and the election calendar.

He identified fairness, justice, a level playing field, security, timely dissemination of information and the prompt release of results as critical elements for a successful electoral process.

The Emir also urged INEC to address concerns arising from previous elections, particularly the late distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials and technical challenges associated with election technology.

He called for election equipment to be adequately tested before deployment and for election officials and materials to arrive at polling units on time, saying such measures would strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

The Emir further appealed to political parties and their supporters to conduct themselves responsibly during the campaign period and minimise hate speech and other actions capable of threatening peace and national cohesion.

He expressed optimism that Nigeria would continue to remain united and sustain democratic governance.

The INEC chairman and his entourage are in Kaduna in continuation of the nationwide readiness assessment and are expected to meet with staff from the North-West states on Monday, September 28, 2026.