2027 Elections: INEC Moves to Block False Results From IReV, Schedules Nationwide Mock Poll for November 28

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has introduced new technological measures to prevent the upload of inaccurate election results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Commission also announced November 28, 2026, for a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise to test its upgraded electoral technologies and assess its preparedness for the forthcoming polls.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, announced the measures on Thursday during a dialogue at Chatham House in London, organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI).

The engagement, themed “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot,” provided an opportunity for the electoral chief to address concerns surrounding the credibility of the 2023 elections and outline reforms being implemented ahead of 2027.

Amupitan admitted that the controversies surrounding the 2023 presidential election had significantly eroded public confidence in INEC, stressing that the Commission was working to rebuild trust through operational improvements and technological reforms.

He said subsequent off-cycle elections had provided opportunities to identify weaknesses and strengthen the electoral process, citing the governorship elections in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti states, the FCT Area Council elections and 16 legislative by-elections.

According to him, the recent Anambra and Osun governorship elections demonstrated improvements in result management, with both elections concluded and results declared the day after voting.

Responding to questions about why Nigerians should trust his leadership, Amupitan said the Commission’s performance in recent elections provided evidence of its growing institutional capacity.

“Every election is a lesson. The 2023 general election was a major lesson for Nigeria, and the Anambra election was another,” he said.

On the controversies surrounding the IReV portal in 2023, the INEC chairman disclosed that the Commission’s post-election assessment identified collation centres as major sources of discrepancies in result management.

He explained that INEC had developed a validation mechanism that would prevent inaccurate polling unit results and figures indicating over-voting from being uploaded to the portal.

“In 2023, there were instances of inaccurate results or results with over-voting being uploaded onto IReV. We have now devised a technical safeguard: if a result is not accurate at the polling unit, it will not go to IReV at all,” he stated.

He maintained that the new system would strengthen the credibility of electronically transmitted results and reduce inconsistencies during collation.

Amupitan further disclosed that INEC had opted to upgrade its existing electoral technology rather than introduce an entirely new system, given the limited time available before the 2027 elections.

Addressing concerns over BVAS malfunctions during the 2023 elections, particularly those attributed to extreme heat and storage conditions, he said the Commission was constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across the states.

He added that additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices had been procured, while the maximum number of registered voters assigned to each machine had been reduced from 1,250 to 850.

Consequently, polling units with more than 850 registered voters would receive multiple BVAS devices to improve accreditation and minimise delays.

The November 28 nationwide mock exercise, he said, would simulate aspects of the presidential election and test the effectiveness of the upgraded voter accreditation and electronic result transmission systems.

On the funding of the 2027 elections, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had received a substantial portion of its approved budget but was still awaiting the release of outstanding funds.

He said the outstanding allocation would partly cover the recruitment and welfare of ad hoc election personnel, adding that the Commission had been assured that the funds would be released before the end of November.

The chairman also defended his neutrality following allegations on social media linking his phone number to a controversial account on X.

He categorically denied operating an account on the platform and disclosed that an independent forensic review had been conducted, with the matter referred to the Department of State Services and the Inspector-General of Police for investigation.

He equally dismissed concerns that his previous involvement in political cases as a legal practitioner could affect his impartiality, insisting that his actions before his appointment were strictly within his professional responsibilities.

“My loyalty is solely to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act,” he said.

On allegations of irregularities in the voters’ register, including claims of an 85 per cent increase in registered voters in a ward in Ebonyi State, Amupitan said the Commission had investigated and resolved the complaint in line with established legal procedures.

He urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to take an active interest in the electoral process and guard against misinformation capable of undermining democratic institutions.

“This country belongs to young Nigerians, and they must not relent in working for the Nigeria they desire,” he said, emphasising the need for citizens to verify information before sharing it.

The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.