The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will conduct a mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 poll.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, said this on Sunday during a Citizens’ Townhall on the 2026 Electoral Act.
“Moving forward, we will conduct mock presidential elections to ensure that transmission across state lines is seamless before the actual vote,” Amupitan said during the event held in Abuja.
Debates about the real-time transmission of election results have dominated headlines in Nigeria in recent months, especially before the passage and signing of the Electoral Act 2026.
It was the subject of intense debates in the 2027 presidential election after INEC reported a “glitch” in the transmission of the results for that poll.
But Amupitan, a professor of law, is assuring Nigerians of better days ahead, one year ahead of the general elections.
“Regarding the ‘glitch’ that was blamed for issues in 2023, let me be clear: the glitch is eliminated. It will not surface again,” he added.
“My audit of the 2023 election showed that while the BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) was tested in state-level elections like Osun and Ekiti, it was not properly tested for the scale of an interstate presidential election.”
INEC assured Nigerians of a credible election, promising to eliminate glitches.
“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,” Amupitan said.
“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.”
He said INEC is putting in the needed work to ensure that next year’s polls are credible.
“So result management and logistics are two basic issues that, from our own end, we’re trying to see how best we’re able to manage them very well, so as to enhance the transparency and credibility of the system,” he said.
