INEC considers mock presidential poll before 2027 election

The Independent National Electoral Commission is considering conducting a comprehensive audit of its electoral technology systems and a mock presidential election ahead of the 2027 general election to test the reliability of its processes and technology.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Thursday while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, on a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement posted on INEC’s official X page, the proposals were under consideration by the commission and were informed by concerns arising from the 2023 general election, particularly regarding the reliability of election technology.

“The INEC Chairman said the proposals, which were under consideration by the commission that same day, were informed by concerns arising from the 2023 general election, particularly regarding the reliability of election technology.

“According to him, the commission was looking at the possibility of auditing all its systems ahead of the 2027 election, as well as conducting a mock presidential election, to test the readiness of its processes and technology before the actual polls,” the post read.

He noted that the proposed exercises were not originally captured in the commission’s budget but said INEC would explore ways to implement them if necessary, given their potential to strengthen the credibility of the general election.

The INEC chairman linked the proposals to the commission’s broader efforts to improve technological reliability, including the continued deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal.

He added that the commission was also reviewing its cyber-security architecture, covering system redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery mechanisms.

The statement noted that Montgomery said the UK had been closely following INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general election, including recent off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory and Anambra, as well as preparations for the Osun State governorship election.

The envoy, who said he would conclude his tenure in about six weeks, assured the commission of the UK’s continued support, expressing confidence that his successor would sustain the partnership with INEC ahead of the 2027 general election.(Punch)