The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has adopted the August 15 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 Osun poll, particularly in the opening of polling units, the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of results, and management of electoral challenges.
Amupitan disclosed this on Friday in Abuja when Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires to Nigeria, David Sproule, led a delegation from the Canadian High Commission on a visit to INEC headquarters.
He said recent off-cycle elections, including the Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun governorship polls and the FCT Area Council elections, had helped the commission test new procedures ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, 3,556 of Osun’s 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 percent, opened by 8:30 a.m. on election day, while the remaining 207 became operational by 9 a.m.
Amupitan said INEC would use the gains recorded in Osun to strengthen its preparations for 2027, describing the election as a model for improving electoral operations.
The commission has also scheduled a nationwide mock accreditation exercise for November 2026 to test BVAS and other election equipment under field conditions.
Amupitan said INEC expects to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections.
He also disclosed that the commission had established an artificial intelligence unit to explore 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.
The INEC chairman identified five priorities ahead of 2027: improving electoral technology, expanding inclusion, strengthening institutional capacity, combating misinformation, and protecting electoral integrity.
Meanwhile, Sproule reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic process, including electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance, and election observation.
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