INEC Chairman Commissions BVAS Storage Facility In Kogi, Seeks Royal Fathers’ Support For Peaceful 2027 Elections
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, has commissioned a newly constructed Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) storage facility in Lokoja, Kogi State, as part of preparations for the 2027 General Election.
The commissioning, which took place on Thursday, November 5, 2026, formed part of the Chairman’s North-Central Zonal Readiness Assessment and nationwide interactive engagements with staff and stakeholders ahead of the January 16 and February 6, 2027 elections.
Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Amupitan explained that the facility was designed to address operational challenges associated with the storage and maintenance of BVAS devices, particularly those arising from improper storage conditions and inadequate cooling systems. He noted that dedicated storage facilities across states would ensure the devices are kept under appropriate conditions, maintain optimal performance, preserve battery life and extend their operational lifespan.
He expressed satisfaction with the facility and formally commissioned it for use during the 2027 General Election, charging officials to ensure it serves its intended purpose. He also commended the quality of construction, particularly the foundation, structural protection, electrical connections and equipment installations, and disclosed that the Commission would continue working with its ICT Department to address additional requirements, including the relocation and installation of equipment racks.
Earlier, the INEC Chairman paid a courtesy visit to the Kogi State Council of Traditional Rulers, where he solicited the support and royal blessings of traditional institutions for the successful conduct of peaceful, credible and inclusive elections in 2027. The delegation was received by the President and Chairman of the Council, His Royal Majesty Dr. Matthew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa, the Attah Igala, alongside the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Muhammad, the Obaro of Kabba, His Royal Majesty Oba Solomon Dele Owoniyi, and other traditional rulers.
Describing the visit as a homecoming, Professor Amupitan said it was important to pay homage to traditional rulers before undertaking a major national assignment in his home state. He explained that the engagement was part of the Commission’s nationwide consultations and readiness assessments, with the North-Central zone representing the final phase of its zonal assessment tours.
He emphasised that traditional rulers remained critical partners in the electoral process because of their influence and authority within their communities, noting that the Commission could not independently guarantee peaceful elections without the cooperation of community leaders and other stakeholders. He therefore appealed to the royal fathers to support the Commission in three critical areas: mobilisation for Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collection and civic participation, discouragement of electoral violence and political thuggery, and combating misinformation and disinformation.
On PVC collection, the Chairman disclosed that the Commission was implementing a decentralised collection exercise across the 774 Local Government Areas, including all 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State, with collection points moved closer to citizens at ward level. He urged traditional rulers to encourage eligible voters to collect their PVCs, stressing that voter registration must translate into actual participation on election day, and to use their positions to discourage political violence and caution young people against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political disruption.
He further drew attention to emerging threats associated with technology, including artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, fabricated media content and deliberately circulated false information capable of misleading voters and undermining public confidence in elections. He called on traditional institutions to work with INEC’s state and local government offices to verify information before disseminating it, while reassuring the people of Kogi and the North-Central zone that INEC remained politically neutral, had no candidate, and was committed to ensuring that all lawful votes cast were accurately counted and declared.
Responding on behalf of the traditional rulers, the Vice President of the Kogi State Council of Chiefs, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, representing the Attah Igala, expressed the traditional institution’s support for the INEC Chairman and the Commission. He described Professor Amupitan’s appointment as a source of pride to the people of Kogi State, pledged the Council’s willingness to collaborate with INEC in promoting peaceful coexistence and credible elections, and urged the Chairman to remain committed to fairness, transparency, accountability and strict adherence to the rule of law.
