2027 Election: INEC Unveils Plan for Mock Presidential Poll, Technology Audit
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is considering conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems and staging a mock presidential election as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He said the proposals were informed by lessons from the 2023 general election, particularly concerns over the reliability of election technology.
According to Amupitan, the commission is exploring the possibility of auditing all its electoral systems ahead of the 2027 polls and conducting a mock presidential election to test the readiness of its processes and technology before the actual exercise.
He explained that although the proposed exercises were not originally captured in INEC’s budget, the commission would explore ways of implementing them because of their importance in strengthening the credibility of future elections.
The INEC chairman said the initiative forms part of broader efforts to improve technological reliability, including the continued deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). He added that the commission is also reviewing its cybersecurity architecture, covering system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.
Amupitan stressed that public confidence in the electoral process depends largely on the reliability of the commission’s technology and operational processes, assuring Nigerians that INEC remains committed to addressing gaps identified during previous elections ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also identified election technology and cybersecurity as key areas of collaboration between INEC and the United Kingdom, noting that the commission values its technical partnership with the UK Government and other international organisations, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral system.
The INEC chairman reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting credible, transparent and inclusive elections, emphasizing that electoral integrity is a shared responsibility requiring the cooperation of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and the electorate.
Earlier, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery, said the UK had been closely monitoring INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general election, including recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra, as well as preparations for the Osun State governorship election.
He assured the commission of the UK’s continued support, expressing confidence that his successor would sustain the strong partnership with INEC ahead of the 2027 polls.