INEC Mulls Mock Presidential Election Ahead Of 2027 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is considering conducting a mock presidential election and a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems as part of efforts to strengthen preparations for the 2027 general election.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan said the proposals, which were under consideration by the Commission, were informed by concerns arising from the 2023 general election, particularly over the reliability of election technology.

He said the Commission was considering a full audit of its electoral systems and a mock presidential election to test the readiness of its processes and technology ahead of the 2027 polls.

According to him, although the proposed exercises were not included in INEC’s budget, the Commission would explore ways to implement them because of their potential to enhance the credibility of the elections.

The INEC chairman said the initiatives formed part of broader efforts to improve technological reliability, including the continued deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), as well as an ongoing review of the Commission’s cybersecurity architecture covering system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.

He noted that public confidence in the electoral process depended largely on the reliability of the Commission’s technology and operational processes, adding that INEC remained committed to addressing shortcomings identified from previous elections ahead of the 2027 general election.

Amupitan also identified election technology and cybersecurity as key areas of collaboration between INEC and the United Kingdom, noting that the Commission had benefited from technical support provided by the UK and other development partners, including the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).

He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to conducting credible and transparent elections that reflect the will of Nigerians, stressing that electoral integrity required the cooperation 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 the conduct of recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Anambra, as well as preparations for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.

Montgomery described the UK’s engagement with Nigeria’s electoral process as part of the strategic partnership between both countries, which was formalised in 2024 and strengthened by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom in March.

The envoy, who said he would conclude his tenure in about six weeks, assured INEC of the UK’s continued support under his successor and expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue in the build-up to the 2027 general election.