The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the 2027 general elections will be free, fair, credible, inclusive, and transparent, saying it has addressed the technical challenges that affected the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 polls.
Speaking at a policy roundtable on electronic transmission of election results organised by Yiaga Africa in Abuja, INEC National Commissioner Abdullahi Zuru, who represented the Commission’s Chairman, said the electoral body has learned valuable lessons from the 2023 elections and significantly improved its election technology systems.
He disclosed that INEC is also considering conducting a nationwide mock exercise on electronic transmission of election results well ahead of the 2027 polls to further strengthen public confidence and test its systems.
According to Zuru, elections conducted since 2023—including governorship, FCT Area Council, and bye-elections—have demonstrated noticeable improvements in the commission’s deployment of election technology.
He assured Nigerians that every valid vote would count, stressing that voters alone would determine who governs them.
Responding to concerns over the glitches experienced during the 2023 presidential election, Zuru expressed confidence that INEC has moved beyond those challenges through improved operational processes and technological upgrades.
He also emphasised that while technology is important, credible elections ultimately depend on honesty, transparency, and integrity among all stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Yiaga Africa urged INEC to strengthen the election results management process by publishing clearer transmission protocols, uploading ward and local government collation results to the IReV portal, clarifying the legal status of electronic result forms, and conducting nationwide mock exercises before the 2027 elections.
