INEC is identifying electoral risks in Plateau’s 17 LGAs, including insecurity, ethnic tensions and public distrust, ahead of the 2027 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun identifying potential electoral risks across Plateau State’s 17 local government areas ahead of the 2027 general election, as part of efforts to develop strategies to prevent disruptions during the polls.

Also read: Gunmen Kill Four in Deadly Plateau Community Attack

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Professor Samuel Egwu, disclosed this on Thursday at an Electoral Risk Management Sensitisation Workshop held in Jos.

Egwu said the two-day workshop was designed to help stakeholders identify possible threats, assess their implications and develop appropriate measures to prevent or minimise their impact on electoral activities.

He identified Nigeria’s complex ethnic and religious composition, unemployment, poverty, kidnapping and the political manipulation of social differences as factors that could contribute to electoral risks.

“The Nigeria’s complex ethnic and religious composition, unemployment, poverty, kidnapping and political manipulation of differences could contribute to electoral risks,” he said.

The REC warned that some political elites exploited ethnic and religious identities for political advantage, a development he said could heighten tensions and create conditions capable of undermining peaceful elections.

He also identified public distrust of INEC as a potential source of electoral tension, particularly perceptions of bias and concerns that votes might not count.

Egwu urged participants to use the workshop to examine the specific security and political challenges in each of the state’s 17 local government areas and develop evidence-based strategies to address them.

The Administrative Secretary of INEC in Plateau, Mrs Mary Uloko, said credible elections required deliberate preparation, effective coordination and cooperation among institutions and individuals involved in the electoral process.

She explained that the workshop would strengthen communication, promote a shared understanding of electoral responsibilities and encourage coordinated responses to possible challenges ahead of the 2027 elections.

Uloko urged participants to share their experiences and maintain collaboration beyond the workshop, stressing that sustained stakeholder engagement was important for building public confidence in the electoral process.

Also speaking, the Director of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Mr Steve Aluko, said public confidence was essential to managing electoral risks.

Aluko urged stakeholders to pay particular attention to the collation and transmission of election results, identifying them as areas requiring careful monitoring.

He said civil society organisations remained committed to supporting peaceful elections but called on INEC and security agencies to address vulnerabilities associated with the collation and transmission processes.

Also read: Gunmen Kill Four in Deadly Plateau Community Attack

The workshop forms part of INEC’s preparations to identify and address local challenges that could affect the conduct of the 2027 general election in Plateau State.