Odita Sunday 
2027: HURIWA Warns INEC Against Politicians Influencing Election Staff Recruitment
By Odita Sunday
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against allowing politicians to influence the recruitment, screening and deployment of personnel for the 2027 general elections.
The rights advocacy group urged INEC to ensure that only persons of proven integrity and political neutrality are entrusted with sensitive electoral duties, warning that the involvement of political actors in selecting ad-hoc personnel could undermine confidence in the polls.
In a statement on Tuesday, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, specifically cautioned the commission against relying on recommendations from governors, legislators, presidential candidates, political parties or other influential political actors in recruiting election personnel.
The group said allowing politicians to influence the deployment of ad-hoc staff in their constituencies could create conflicts of interest and raise questions about the neutrality of the electoral process.
According to HURIWA, an election official whose appointment is perceived to have been secured through the influence of a politician with a direct interest in the outcome of an election may struggle to command public confidence as an impartial referee.
The organisation urged INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, and the National Commissioners to establish and enforce a transparent recruitment and screening process capable of keeping politically exposed persons away from sensitive electoral responsibilities.
It said the commission should verify the background, professional conduct, political exposure and integrity of prospective personnel before deploying them to polling units, collation centres and other critical locations.
HURIWA insisted that political neutrality should be treated as a fundamental qualification for anyone involved in election administration.
The group also called on INEC to publish clear criteria for recruiting and deploying ad-hoc personnel and establish an effective mechanism through which Nigerians can raise objections where a proposed election official has a known partisan history or relationship with a candidate.
It said such transparency would strengthen public confidence and reduce suspicion that election officials were deliberately selected to favour particular candidates.
HURIWA further urged political parties, civil society organisations, professional bodies, religious organisations and the media to monitor the recruitment and deployment process and expose attempts to compromise it.
The group said the responsibility for protecting the integrity of the 2027 elections could not be left to INEC alone, stressing that all stakeholders had a role to play in safeguarding the democratic process.
It warned that political interference in the electoral bureaucracy could deepen public distrust in democratic institutions and create tensions that might extend beyond the immediate electoral cycle.
HURIWA also argued that technological safeguards alone could not guarantee credible elections if the officials operating the system were politically compromised.
“The integrity of election personnel is just as important as the integrity of the voting and result management systems,” the group said.
It urged INEC to ensure that every official understands that his or her loyalty is to the Constitution and Nigerian people rather than any politician or political party.
Onwubiko said INEC must act early rather than wait until after the elections to respond to allegations of political interference, arguing that preventive measures were more effective than post-election explanations.
He said Amupitan and the National Commissioners had a “historic responsibility” to demonstrate that INEC could conduct elections without fear, favour or political manipulation.
HURIWA urged the commission to place integrity above convenience, competence above political recommendations and national interest above partisan pressure.
The group insisted that no governor, legislator, presidential candidate or political party should be allowed to determine who serves as an election official in a manner that compromises the neutrality of the process.
It said the credibility of the 2027 elections would be judged not only by the technology deployed by INEC but also by the integrity of the men and women operating the electoral system.
HURIWA therefore called on INEC to “act early, screen thoroughly, deploy transparently and maintain absolute neutrality,” stressing that the 2027 elections should be conducted by credible officials and decided by the free will of Nigerians.
About the Author
