The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced plans to organise a nationwide mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 general polls to test its result transmission infrastructure and avoid a repeat of past technical challenges.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Sunday during the Citizens’ Townhall on the Electoral Act 2026 held in Abuja. He said the commission was determined to deliver what he described as Nigeria’s best election yet. The announcement follows a recent adjustment to the 2027 election timetable.
INEC had initially scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for March 6, 2027. However, the revised dates now fix the presidential and National Assembly polls for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Speaking at the town hall, Amupitan said, “Election anywhere in the world is now about technology, but before deploying any technology, it is important to test it thoroughly. 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 states must not fail.”
He explained that while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System was piloted during off-cycle governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti before the 2023 general elections, it was not sufficiently stress-tested for a nationwide presidential contest. According to him, the commission wants to ensure that interstate transmission of results functions seamlessly and does not fail during the 2027 elections. He expressed confidence that the technical glitches experienced during the 2023 presidential poll would not recur, stating that safeguards are in place to prevent failures.
The INEC chairman added that alternative collation methods provided for in law are only precautionary measures and not substitutes for electronic transmission. He maintained that the commission’s goal is to ensure seamless transmission while managing logistics and result collation more effectively.
Amupitan also assured Nigerians of the commission’s commitment to credible elections, describing credible polls as the lifeblood of democracy. He said the 2027 electorate is more politically aware and understands the link between elections and national development.
The assurances come amid debate over the amended Electoral Act 2026, recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu. The amendment permits both electronic and manual transmission of results depending on operational feasibility, a provision that has drawn mixed reactions from political stakeholders, including opposition parties calling for further changes ahead of the 2027 elections.
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