The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, has stated that the commission cannot guarantee a completely flawless election in 2027, particularly regarding the electronic transmission of results.
He made this remark during a Citizens’ Townhall Meeting organized by the Civil Society Network on Election Integrity at Abuja Continental Hotel on Sunday.
Despite acknowledging possible shortcomings, Amupitan expressed confidence that the 2027 presidential election would be the best in Nigeria’s history. The event brought together civil society groups, academics, election observers, and members of the public to deliberate on electoral issues.
According to him, Nigeria requires simpler legislative language to enable citizens to better understand the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Citing the recent FCT Area Council elections, Amupitan explained that results were released promptly in five area councils, while one ward in Kuje experienced delays until the following day.
He emphasized that the success of any election depends largely on logistics and result management. An election, he said, can be considered successful if it begins as scheduled, is conducted peacefully, and results are properly managed and declared transparently.
While admitting that logistical and human errors occurred in past elections, he assured Nigerians that efforts are underway to address these challenges. He appealed for understanding, noting that although Nigerians desire perfect elections, achieving 100 percent perfection may not yet be realistic.
On electronic transmission, he reiterated that INEC has the capacity to transmit results. However, he clarified that the main issue lies in “real-time” transmission. Using a banking transaction analogy, he explained that while money may leave an account instantly, the recipient may not receive an alert immediately. Similarly, result transmission may not always reflect instantly despite being successfully sent.
He stressed that improving logistics and result management remains a priority to strengthen transparency and credibility. He also dismissed concerns about system glitches, saying the technology would be thoroughly tested before deployment in 2027.
Reflecting on the 2023 elections, Amupitan noted that while devices were tested during state elections, they were not adequately tested for nationwide interstate transmission during the presidential election. He assured that such gaps would be addressed before 2027.
He concluded by expressing optimism that the 2027 elections would mark significant improvement, noting that Nigerian voters are now more informed and politically aware than in previous years.
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