The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has adopted the recently concluded Osun State governorship election as a benchmark for preparations for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the commission would build on improvements recorded during the August 15 election, particularly in the opening of polling units, the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of results and management of electoral crises.
Amupitan disclosed this on Friday when the Chargé d’Affaires of Canada to Nigeria, David Sproule, led a delegation from the Canadian High Commission on a visit to INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He said recent off-cycle elections, including those in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory and Ekiti, had helped the commission test new procedures and improve its operations ahead of 2027.
According to him, the Osun election stood out because of improvements recorded across several aspects of the electoral process.
Amupitan said 3,556 of the 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 per cent, were opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m.
He also highlighted the performance of BVAS, electronic transmission of results through the IReV portal and the commission’s response to challenges that emerged during the election.
“We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027,” he said.
The INEC chairman said preparations for the 2027 general election had commenced, adding that the official period for public campaigns and rallies began on August 19.
He identified five priority areas for the commission: consolidating technological improvements, expanding electoral inclusion, strengthening institutional capacity, tackling misinformation and protecting electoral integrity.
Amupitan also announced plans for a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 to test BVAS and other electoral equipment under field conditions ahead of the general election.
INEC is expected to require about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel to conduct the 2027 elections across more than 176,000 polling units.
The commission has also created an artificial intelligence unit to examine the responsible use of AI in voter registration, data management and results transmission, while developing measures to tackle emerging threats such as deepfakes and disinformation.
Meanwhile, Canada reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic and electoral development ahead of the 2027 elections.
