INEC Weighs Full Systems Audit, Mock Presidential Poll Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 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, Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the Commission's headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan said the proposals were being considered by the Commission in response to concerns raised following the 2023 general election, particularly regarding the reliability of election technology.

According to him, the planned systems audit would assess the integrity and readiness of INEC's technological infrastructure, while the proposed mock presidential election would serve as a nationwide test of the Commission's processes and electoral technologies ahead of the 2027 polls.

He noted that although the initiatives were not included in the Commission's current budget, INEC would explore ways to implement them because of their importance in strengthening the credibility and transparency of future elections.

The INEC chairman explained that the proposals formed part of the Commission's broader strategy to improve technological reliability through the continued deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). 

He added that the Commission was also reviewing its cyber security architecture, including system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.

Amupitan stressed that public confidence in Nigeria's electoral process depended largely on the reliability of election technology and the Commission's operational processes. 

He said INEC remained committed to addressing shortcomings identified from previous elections before the 2027 general election.

He identified election technology and cyber-security as key areas of collaboration between INEC and the United Kingdom, noting that the Commission had continued to benefit from technical support provided by the UK Government and other international partners, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

Reaffirming INEC's commitment to credible and transparent elections, Amupitan said delivering elections that truly reflect the will of Nigerians required the collective support of political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and citizens.

Earlier, the British High Commissioner said the UK had been closely monitoring INEC's preparations for the 2027 general election, including developments from recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra, as well as preparations for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.

Montgomery described the UK's continued engagement with Nigeria's electoral process as part of its moral and practical support for the country's democracy. 

He referenced the strategic partnership signed by both countries in 2024 and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's state visit to the United Kingdom in March as evidence of the growing bilateral relationship.

The envoy, who disclosed that he would conclude his tenure in about six weeks, assured INEC of continued British support, expressing confidence that his successor would sustain the existing partnership with the Commission in the lead-up to the 2027 general election.