INEC to Conduct Mock Presidential Poll Before 2027

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has said the commission will conduct a mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 general elections to test the reliability of its result transmission system.

Amupitan made the disclosure during a citizen town hall in Abuja on the proposed Electoral Act 2026, while addressing concerns over technical challenges experienced during the 2023 presidential election.

He explained that while the transmission device was tested within states during previous elections, it was not adequately tested for nationwide deployment in the presidential poll.

Amupitan stated the need for thorough testing of election technology before deployment.

He said the planned mock exercise is aimed at strengthening the electoral process and improving public confidence ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Before you deploy any technology, it is important for you to test that technology very well. So my own audit of the 2023 election, the effect that while the BVAS was tested within the state for the Osun election, the Ekiti election, when it came to the federal election, especially the presidential election, which is now interstate, it was not properly tested.

“So one of the things we are trying to do before the election, we’re going to have a mock presidential election so that we are sure that this transmission across the state must not fail. By the grace of God, the election of 2027 will be the best election that Nigerians will have.

“Because Nigerians of 2023 is differentfrom what you have in 2027. People are much more aware. And you know the correlation between election and development. Nobody is happy about the classification of Nigeria as an underdeveloped country. So we want a situation where our process will be able to guarantee the confidence and the legitimacy that people want to see in their system. So by the time you have a transparent election and people begin to trust INEC and trust their leaders, then the country will move forward.”

Author

Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.