Chairman of the Commission, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, stated this on Friday in Abuja while receiving Mr David Sproule and a delegation from the Canadian High Commission on a courtesy visit to the INEC headquarters.
“We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027,” Amupitan said.
He said the Commission remained committed to its “clear and non-negotiable” mandate of conducting free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections that reflect the sovereign will of Nigerians.
The INEC Chairman said the Commission had continued to use off-cycle elections as opportunities to test and improve its operational frameworks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, 3,556 out of 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 per cent, opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m. during the Osun election, while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) performed optimally and results were uploaded seamlessly on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Amupitan said INEC was now consolidating the gains of recent electoral reforms as it prepares for the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections slated for February 6, 2027.
He identified the Commission’s major priorities as improving voter participation, safeguarding the ballot and strengthening public confidence in the electoral process.
The INEC Chairman also announced that the Commission would conduct a mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 to test its readiness for the general election.
Amupitan further disclosed that the Commission was preparing for what he described as an unprecedented logistical operation involving the deployment of about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
He reassured the Canadian delegation and the international community of INEC’s independence, neutrality and commitment to democratic integrity.
“Mr Sproule, I want to reassure you and the international community of this Commission’s absolute independence, neutrality, and unyielding commitment to democratic integrity,” he said.
Amupitan also revealed that INEC had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Unit as part of efforts to respond proactively to emerging technological developments and threats in electoral administration.
He said the Commission intended to explore the use of artificial intelligence in improving data management, voter registration and results transmission, while developing safeguards against threats such as deepfakes and disinformation.
The INEC Chairman added that the Commission was eager to participate in the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections scheduled to hold in Ottawa, Canada, from September 9 to 11, 2026.
He thanked Canada for its continued support for Nigeria’s democratic development and expressed optimism that the engagement would deepen cooperation between both countries in electoral governance.
