The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has identified result collation centres as the major source of problems that affected the management of the 2023 general elections.
Amupitan said the commission had introduced additional technical measures to prevent inaccurate election results from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) ahead of the 2027 polls.
He spoke on Thursday during a high-level discussion organised by Chatham House in collaboration with the Kimpact Development Initiative in London.
The INEC chairman said the commission’s review of the 2023 elections showed that some of the most serious challenges occurred during the collation of results.
According to him, the new safeguards will ensure that polling unit results are checked for accuracy before they are transmitted to IReV.
He explained that results containing errors, including figures indicating over-voting, would not be uploaded to the portal.
Responding to questions on why Nigerians should trust him to conduct the 2027 elections, Amupitan cited the commission’s handling of recent off-cycle elections as evidence of improvements.
He specifically mentioned the governorship elections in Anambra and Osun states, saying the commission had addressed delays that previously affected the declaration of results.
“Why should Nigerians trust me? They should trust me because, first, I have conducted off-cycle elections, and observers agree that the recent election in Osun State represented a clear improvement,” he said.
Amupitan added that the commission had learnt lessons from previous elections and was committed to improving the electoral process.
He identified security, logistics and result management as the three major areas INEC was prioritising ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The electoral chief also announced that the commission would conduct a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise on November 28, 2026, to test its preparations and upgrades to the electoral technology.
He said INEC was working with security agencies to protect election personnel and materials, adding that intelligence had uncovered a plot by bandits to attack National Youth Service Corps members recruited as ad hoc election workers.
Amupitan said the commission was also addressing concerns over its funding, noting that it had received a substantial part of the money required for the 2027 elections, with the outstanding balance expected before the end of November.
He urged Nigerians to remain engaged in the democratic process and verify information before sharing it, warning that misinformation could undermine public confidence in elections.
