The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will build on the successes recorded during the recent Osun State governorship election as part of efforts to strengthen its preparations for the 2027 General Election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, stated this when the Chargé d’Affaires of Canada to Nigeria, Mr David Sproule, led a delegation from the Canadian High Commission on a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Sproule reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic and electoral processes, particularly in areas of electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance and election observation. He said Canada remained committed to helping strengthen democratic systems and promote elections that are free, fair, credible and trusted by citizens.
Responding, Amupitan described Nigeria and Canada as longstanding partners united by mutual respect, democratic values, the rule of law and good governance. He commended Canada for its sustained support for electoral governance, civic education, institutional development and gender inclusion in Nigeria.
The INEC Chairman reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections that reflect the will of Nigerians. He said recent off-cycle elections had provided opportunities for INEC to test and improve its electoral reforms and operational frameworks.
Amupitan identified the August 15, 2026, Osun State governorship election as a major benchmark for the commission’s preparations. He said 3,556 out of 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 per cent, opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m., while the BVAS recorded optimal performance and results were uploaded seamlessly on the IReV portal.
He said INEC regarded the success recorded in Osun as a standard to guide its preparations for the 2027 elections rather than a final achievement.
The chairman also noted that public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 General Election commenced on August 19, 2026. He added that INEC participated in the signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns by presidential candidates on August 18 under the auspices of the National Peace Committee.
According to Amupitan, the commission will focus on five major areas ahead of the 2027 polls: consolidating technological gains, deepening electoral inclusivity, strengthening institutional capacity and technical support, combating misinformation and safeguarding electoral integrity, as well as conducting a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026.
He said the planned mock accreditation exercise would subject the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and other electoral equipment to rigorous field testing to assess INEC’s readiness and address possible operational challenges ahead of the general election.
