The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced November 28, 2026, as the date for a nationwide mock accreditation exercise aimed at testing its election technology ahead of the 2027 general elections, in what could prove a crucial test of the commission’s preparedness to avoid a repeat of the technical controversies that trailed the 2023 polls.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed the date on Thursday during a high-level dialogue at Chatham House in London, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI).
The exercise, he explained, will simulate a presidential election across all states of the federation, with particular attention to the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the electronic transmission of election results.
Amupitan said the nationwide simulation would help the commission identify and address potential weaknesses before the actual elections, stressing that INEC was determined to get its technology right this time.
He said the commission had drawn important lessons from the 2023 general elections and was implementing additional safeguards to strengthen the credibility of the electoral process.
As part of the measures, INEC has procured additional BVAS devices and reduced the maximum number of registered voters assigned to each machine from 1,250 to 850.
Polling units with more than 850 registered voters, he said, would be equipped with multiple devices to prevent congestion and minimise accreditation delays.
The commission is also constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to protect sensitive electoral equipment from extreme temperatures and unfavourable storage conditions, which were among the factors previously associated with BVAS malfunctions.
On electronic transmission of results, the INEC chairman said new technical safeguards had been introduced to prevent inaccurate figures and results reflecting over-voting from being uploaded to the commission's Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He identified insecurity, logistics and result management as the three major challenges confronting the commission ahead of the 2027 elections.
Significantly, Amupitan disclosed that INEC's post-election assessment of the 2023 polls revealed that some of the most serious breakdowns in result management occurred at collation centres rather than polling units.
He said the commission had consequently resolved to strengthen its existing electoral technology instead of introducing an entirely new system, given the limited time remaining before the next general elections.
The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission had received a substantial portion of its 2027 election budget but was still awaiting the outstanding balance.
The funds, he explained, would support critical election preparations, including the recruitment and welfare of ad hoc personnel. He said assurances had been received that the outstanding funds would be released before the end of November.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6.
'MY LOYALTY IS TO THE CONSTITUTION'
Beyond election technology and logistics, Amupitan used the London engagement to confront questions surrounding his neutrality and the controversy over an X account allegedly linked to him, which reportedly expressed support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections.
The INEC chairman categorically denied operating the account, insisting that an independent forensic examination had been obtained and the matter referred to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police for investigation.
INEC had earlier dismissed the allegations as digital impersonation.
Responding to concerns about his political neutrality, Amupitan declared that his allegiance was neither to the ruling party nor any political interest but exclusively to the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act.
"My loyalty is solely to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act," he declared.
He argued that every constitutional institution, including the Presidency, National Assembly and state governments, was bound by the same obligation to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law.
The senior lawyer also dismissed suggestions that his previous involvement in politically sensitive legal disputes could undermine his impartiality, explaining that he had acted strictly in his professional capacity before his appointment as INEC chairman.
He urged Nigerians to judge his leadership by the commission's performance and give INEC the opportunity to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2027.
ADMITS 2023 ELECTIONS DAMAGED PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
In an apparent acknowledgement of the enormous credibility challenge confronting the commission, Amupitan admitted that the controversies surrounding the 2023 presidential election had inflicted serious damage on public confidence in INEC.
"First and foremost, let me speak about what happened in 2023, which resulted in a significant trust deficit for INEC—damage so large that the Commission has not yet fully recovered from it," he said.
He, however, maintained that the commission had learnt from subsequent off-cycle elections, particularly those conducted in Anambra and Osun states, where results were declared the day after voting.
On allegations of irregularities in the voters' register, including claims of an 85 per cent increase in registered voters in a ward in Ebonyi State, Amupitan said INEC had investigated the complaint and addressed it in accordance with established statutory procedures.
He pointed to provisions of the Electoral Act that allow members of the public to raise claims, file objections and request certified true copies of the voters' register within prescribed periods.
WARNS YOUTHS AGAINST MISINFORMATION
The INEC chairman also called on Nigerian youths to take a more active role in protecting the country's democratic process, warning that misinformation could undermine public confidence and destabilise elections.
He urged citizens to verify information before sharing it, particularly on social media, where false claims and misleading political narratives can spread rapidly.
"This country belongs to young Nigerians, and they must not relent in working for the Nigeria they desire," he said.
"Misinformation remains one of the greatest threats to our democracy. Citizens must verify information before acting or sharing, and give our democracy the chance to succeed."
With the November 28 mock accreditation exercise approaching, INEC faces a defining opportunity to demonstrate that it has learnt from the failures and controversies of 2023.
For a commission still struggling to rebuild public confidence, the success of the nationwide test could be an important indication of whether its promises of a more credible 2027 election will translate into reality.
INEC Sets November 28 For Nationwide Mock Accreditation, Moves To Avert 2023-Style Election Glitches
