INEC promises credible 2027 polls

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed strong confidence in its ability to conduct a credible and transparent general election in 2027. The commission stated it has overcome the technical challenges that plagued the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 general election.

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Let me assure you that we at INEC have learnt our lessons and improved our operations.

INEC National Commissioner Abdullahi Zuru, representing the Chairman, assured Nigerians that the 2027 polls would be free, fair, credible, inclusive, and transparent. He noted that the commission has learned from the shortcomings of the 2023 elections and significantly improved its technological deployment. Zuru highlighted that subsequent elections, including governorship and bye-elections, have demonstrated INEC's enhanced capacity in election technology.

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We want to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians in general, and the voters in particular, that INEC will ensure that the 2027 general election shall be free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent. Every valid vote will count. Voters will decide who governs them.

"Yes, we are confident we will be able to handle these issues," Zuru told journalists, referencing the technical glitches and hacking concerns from the 2023 presidential election. He pointed to recent successful elections as clear evidence of improvement. "We just conducted the governorship election in Anambra, the FCT elections. So this is clear evidence that we have moved on from where we were on this issue."

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Yes, we are confident we will be able to handle these issues. We’ve conducted several elections, bye-elections and governorship elections since the 2023 incidents that we had, and everybody agrees that there’s remarkable improvement in the elections that have been happening.

INEC is also considering a mock exercise for electronic transmission of election results well before the 2027 general election. This initiative aligns with the commission's ongoing plans to ensure a seamless process. Zuru recalled INEC's consistent advocacy for legal backing for electronic transmission before 2023 and acknowledged the technical difficulties experienced with the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the presidential election, assuring that lessons have been learned and operations improved.

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We just conducted the governorship election in Anambra, the FCT elections. So this is clear evidence that we have moved on from where we were on this issue.