2027: INEC cannot guarantee perfect election, says Chairman

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Ojo Amupitan, has said the commission cannot guarantee a 100 per cent perfect election in 2027, particularly regarding the electronic transmission of results.

Amupitan made the remark on Sunday during a Citizens’ Townhall Meeting organised by the Civil Society Network on Election Integrity in Abuja, where stakeholders gathered to discuss electoral reforms and preparations ahead of the next general elections.

Despite acknowledging possible challenges, the INEC chairman expressed optimism that the 2027 general election would be the best conducted in the country’s history.

He noted that expectations for flawless elections remain high among Nigerians but explained that practical realities, especially logistics and technology, may prevent absolute perfection.

According to him, successful elections should be measured by whether polls start on schedule, remain peaceful, and have credible result management and declaration processes.

He admitted that logistics challenges, including human errors, affected some recent elections but assured that the commission is working to address them.

Amupitan said Independent National Electoral Commission has the capacity to electronically transmit results, but real-time transmission may sometimes be affected by technical delays rather than system failure.

He likened the situation to bank transfers where funds may leave an account instantly but alerts may arrive later.

He cited the recent FCT Area Council elections as an example, noting that results were transmitted successfully in most areas, although one ward in Kuje experienced delays until the following day.

The INEC boss also emphasised the need for simpler legislation that would enable Nigerians to better understand the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Amupitan said one of the lessons learnt was the need for wider testing of electoral technology across states before deployment in nationwide polls.

He assured Nigerians that measures are being put in place to strengthen logistics and technology, insisting that result transmission will not fail under his tenure, even if real-time delivery experiences delays.

He added that increased voter awareness and improved preparations would help make the 2027 elections more credible and transparent.

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