INEC Chairman Vows: “2027 Will Be Nigeria’s Best Election Yet, No Technical Glitches”

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the technical issues that disrupted the 2023 presidential election will not be repeated in 2027.

Speaking at the Citizens’ Townhall on the Electoral Act 2026, Amupitan said the commission has taken deliberate steps to strengthen its result-transmission infrastructure ahead of the upcoming general elections.

Last Friday, INEC announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly polls are scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2027.

“Election anywhere in the world is now about technology, but before deploying any technology, it is important to test it thoroughly. So, my own audit of the 2023 election, while the BVAS was tested within the states for the Osun election, Ekiti election, however, when it came to the federal election, especially the presidential election, which became inter-state, it was not properly tested. One of the things we are trying to do before the election is to have a mock presidential election, so that we are sure that this transmission across the state must not fail.

The glitch is eliminated. By God’s grace, it will not surface in Nigeria. By the grace of God, the 2027 election will be the best Nigeria has ever had. The electorate of 2027 is more aware and understands the direct correlation between elections and national development. We want a process that guarantees the legitimacy and confidence people want to see in their system. When people trust INEC and their leaders, the country will move forward,” Amupitan said.

He however admitted that while perfection may be difficult to achieve, the commission remains committed to delivering significant improvements that will restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.