By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: Northern youths have risen in defence of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, condemning what they described as politically motivated attacks on the Commission and vowing to resist every attempt to undermine its independence ahead of the 2027 general election.

The Arewa Youth Forum, which claims a membership of between two and three million young people across northern Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory FCT, delivered the rebuke during a courtesy visit on the Commission on Thursday.

Chairman, Board of Trustees BoT of the forum, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, declared that the AYF had conducted tours across the North and found that public confidence in the Commission was being deliberately eroded by orchestrated misinformation rather than any genuine operational failure.

“An independent electoral body must be judged on facts and evidence, not propaganda. AYF strongly rejects the politicisation of INEC, especially at this critical time in our national history,” Alhaji Gujungu said.

The Forum said the attacks on Prof. Amupitan and the Commission were not only unfair but dangerous, coming at a moment when INEC had recorded measurable improvements in the conduct of elections, including the timely deployment of materials, stricter adherence to electoral guidelines, and the expanded use of technology to curb fraud.

“We stand before you today to commend the hard work of your leadership and the successes recorded in the recent elections held across the country.

“The improvement in logistics, timely deployment of materials, and adherence to election guidelines despite enormous challenges are commendable”, he stated.

The AYF Board of Trustees Chairman specifically praised INEC’s deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS as a decisive advance in eliminating electoral fraud and ensuring that results authentically reflect the will of Nigerian voters, describing the Commission’s technology-driven approach as one of the most significant milestones in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

The Forum pledged to mobilise its membership to respect electoral laws, reject fake news, report criminal elements, and stand as active guardians of the integrity of the voting process in the build-up to 2027.

Responding, Prof. Amupitan thanked the Forum for what he called an exceptional show of objectivity, noting that positive assessments of the Commission’s work had become rare in the current media climate. He said the solidarity expressed by the AYF would strengthen the Commission’s resolve as it intensified preparations for the 2027 polls.

The INEC Chairman confirmed that Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 15, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027. He called on all Nigerians to rally behind the Commission in delivering elections that would serve as a democratic model for Africa.

He said; “Nigeria has the largest democracy in Africa. For it to be well with Africa, Nigeria must get it right. And we are committed and determined to ensure that we face that election head on.”

Amupitan cited the recently concluded Ekiti State Governorship Election as evidence of the Commission’s improving standards, noting that observers recorded the early arrival of INEC officials at polling units, a calm and secure atmosphere, and seamless deployment of election materials — a template, he said, that the Commission would build upon going forward.

The forum had also proposed two formal areas of collaboration with INEC: a grassroots voter education campaign across northern Nigeria targeting voter mobilisation, anti-vote-buying messaging, and technology literacy; and a post-election feedback mechanism through which AYF field coordinators would gather and submit polling unit-level data on logistics, staff conduct and technology performance after each election.

Amupitan welcomed both proposals and directed the Director of Voter Education and Publicity to immediately establish a formal liaison with the Forum to strengthen the Commission’s grassroots reach across the North.

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