INEC Chair Advocates Exceptional Military Role in Elections

Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), articulated that the deployment of the Armed Forces during elections should be an exceptional measure rather than a routine practice.

He made this statement while delivering a keynote address at a seminar in Abuja, represented by Al-Hassan Umar, the Director of Legal at INEC. Amupitan highlighted that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria delineates the responsibilities of institutions involved in election management, assigning INEC the task of conducting elections and designating the Nigeria Police Force as the lead agency for election security.

He clarified that military involvement should only occur under specific security conditions that necessitate support for civil authorities, maintaining that the Armed Forces should serve in a supportive role, focusing on securing national assets and assisting with sensitive electoral materials. He urged the Armed Forces to uphold political neutrality and professionalism during their interactions with citizens to maintain public confidence in the electoral process.