The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct a mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Sunday during a Citizens’ Townhall on the 2026 Electoral Act in Abuja. He explained that the mock exercise is aimed at ensuring seamless transmission of results across states before the actual vote.
“Moving forward, we will conduct mock presidential elections to ensure that transmission across state lines is seamless before the actual vote,” Amupitan said.
Debates over real-time electronic transmission of results have intensified in recent months, particularly following concerns raised during the 2023 presidential election, when INEC cited a “glitch” in the transmission process.
Addressing the issue, Amupitan assured Nigerians that the technical challenges experienced previously have been resolved.
“Regarding the ‘glitch’ that was blamed for issues in 2023, let me be clear: the glitch is eliminated. It will not surface again,” he stated.
He noted that while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was tested in off-cycle governorship elections such as Osun and Ekiti, it was not fully stress-tested for a nationwide presidential poll.
The INEC chairman expressed optimism about the 2027 elections, promising improvements that would enhance credibility and public confidence.
“By the grace of God, the 2027 election will be the best Nigeria has ever had,” he said, adding that the commission is working to guarantee legitimacy and strengthen trust in the electoral process.
