Summary: INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan promises that 2027 general elections will be Nigeria’s best ever, with plans for mock presidential exercise to test transmission technology and prevent 2023 glitches.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) don give Nigerians assurance say the kind technical wahala wey we see during the 2023 presidential election no go repeat itself for 2027. The INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, make this promise when e dey address people for the Citizens’ Townhall on the Electoral Act 2026.
According to the INEC boss, the next general election go be the best wey Nigeria don ever see since we dey do elections for this country.
New Election Dates Announced
Last Friday, INEC announce say the presidential and National Assembly elections go hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections go now hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
Before now, the commission bin fix the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections for March 6, 2027. But them shift the dates to follow the new 2026 Electoral Act.
Mock Presidential Election on the Way
Professor Amupitan reveal say INEC don plan to conduct mock presidential exercise before the 2027 general election. This one go help them test their result-transmission technology well well, so that the kind transmission failure wey we see for 2023 no go happen again.
The INEC chairman explain am better, say: “Election anywhere for the world now na about technology, but before you deploy any technology, e important make you test am properly. So, my own audit of the 2023 election show say while we test the BVAS within states for Osun election and Ekiti election, when e reach federal election, especially the presidential election wey involve inter-state transmission, we no test am properly.”
He continue say: “One of the things we dey try do before the election na to conduct mock presidential election, so that we go sure say this transmission across states must not fail. We don eliminate the glitch. By God’s grace, e no go surface for Nigeria again.”
Higher Expectations for 2027
Professor Amupitan believe say Nigerian voters don wise up more now. According to am, the electorate of 2027 don understand better the connection between elections and how the country dey develop.
“We want a process wey go guarantee the legitimacy and confidence wey people want see for their system. When people trust INEC and their leaders, the country go move forward,” he talk.
Near-Perfect Election Na the Target
Even though the INEC chairman admit say perfection fit hard to achieve 100%, e assure Nigerians say the commission dey work hard to deliver big improvements for the electoral process.
“We go try give Nigerians near-perfect election. Credible elections still remain the lifeblood of democracy,” Professor Amupitan conclude.
As we dey count down to January 2027, all eyes don dey INEC to see whether them go fit deliver on this big promise. The mock election wey them plan go be the first major test to show whether the commission serious about the reforms wey them dey talk.
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