The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the commission has the capacity to electronically transmit election results in 2027, while cautioning that it cannot promise a flawless process.
Speaking on Sunday during the Citizens’ Town Hall programme titled “Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your votes and the 2027 elections”, Amupitan urged Nigerians to temper expectations, saying INEC would strive to deliver credible polls but perfection was unrealistic.
“I understand that Nigerians want a perfect election. We will do our best to deliver the best possible process, but we may not achieve a 100 per cent perfect election for now,” he said. He reiterated that the commission has the technical ability to transmit results electronically, noting that the major challenge lies in defining and achieving real-time transmission, particularly in remote areas.
The live debate, moderated by Seun Okinbaloye and Yiaga Africa Executive Director Samson Itodo, featured prominent political figures, including the All Progressives Congress National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda; Labour Party Interim National Chairman, Nenadi Usman; former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili; and Senator Ireti Kingibe.
Amupitan described elections as the foundation of democratic governance, stressing the importance of voter education, transparency, and collaboration with civil society. He noted that INEC played an active role in shaping the Electoral Act 2026, which emerged from years of consultations involving the National Assembly, civil society organisations, and the commission.
On the contentious issue of electronic transmission — widely debated after the 2023 general elections — he said INEC pushed for mandatory transmission during legislative deliberations. However, practical obstacles remain, particularly in areas with weak network coverage.
He cited the recent Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections as an example, explaining that while results from five of the six councils were transmitted promptly, one ward in Kuje experienced delays due to difficult terrain and communication challenges. Officials were unreachable by phone until the following day, when the results were physically retrieved and collated.
According to him, the main issue was not the concept of electronic transmission itself but network adequacy and logistics. “Your election can only be as good as your logistics,” he said, acknowledging that some operational lapses — including human errors — occurred during the FCT poll but are being addressed.
Despite the challenges, Amupitan expressed optimism that the 2027 elections would represent significant progress, citing increased voter awareness and growing public demand for accountability. He argued that credible elections are essential to national development and restoring trust in democratic institutions.
INEC begins regulatory review
Meanwhile, INEC has launched a comprehensive review of its regulations and guidelines for political parties as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, the commission said the exercise is aimed at strengthening party oversight, improving compliance, reducing pre-election disputes, and aligning existing regulations with the Electoral Act 2026.
The review workshop involves national commissioners, directors, legal experts, and election administrators who are conducting a clause-by-clause assessment of the 2022 regulatory framework. The new law introduces significant changes affecting party administration, candidate nominations, compliance requirements, dispute resolution, and INEC’s regulatory authority.
The commission said it is also drawing lessons from past elections, particularly recurring challenges such as opaque party primaries, membership disputes, weak financial disclosure practices, and exclusionary participation patterns that have led to litigation and electoral uncertainty.
To guide reforms, INEC is incorporating insights from the Political Party Performance Index, shifting its oversight approach from reactive enforcement to proactive supervision based on measurable standards. Technical support for the review is being provided by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy alongside Nigerian legal and electoral experts.
The revised 2026 guidelines will undergo internal validation before consultations with the Inter-Party Advisory Council and registered political parties.
Parties begin digital registration
In compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, major political parties have begun nationwide digital membership registration exercises.
The Peoples Democratic Party announced that its electronic registration will run for three weeks across all wards nationwide, under the supervision of a committee led by National Organising Secretary Theophilus Shan.
Similarly, the African Democratic Congress has launched a free online membership registration platform while continuing manual registration nationwide. The party said only members captured and verified in its digital register would be eligible to vote or contest in its primaries.
A source within the ruling All Progressives Congress indicated that its e-registration portal, which previously closed in February, may reopen to accommodate additional members.
2027 election timetable revised
On February 13, INEC initially scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and governorship and state assembly polls for March 6, 2027. However, following criticism that the dates overlapped with Ramadan, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act to shorten the mandatory notice period from 360 to 300 days.
INEC subsequently issued a revised timetable, moving the presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly elections to February 6, 2027.
Under the updated schedule, political parties must submit their comprehensive digital membership registers to INEC by April 2, 2026 — a requirement some stakeholders argue could pose challenges for opposition parties.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to continuous electoral reform, stating that strengthening party governance and regulatory compliance is essential to delivering credible leadership choices for Nigerians in 2027.
