INEC to Stage Mock Presidential Election Ahead of 2027 Polls

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is preparing to stage an INEC mock presidential election and conduct a comprehensive audit of its voting technology ahead of the 2027 general election, Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN) said on Thursday. Amupitan disclosed the plan while receiving British High Commissioner to Nigeria Dr. Richard Montgomery at INEC's headquarters in Abuja, according to Leadership Newspapers and Punch Newspapers. He said the proposals, still under commission consideration, were prompted by concerns over the reliability of election technology in the 2023 general election. The commission is weighing a full audit of its electoral systems and a mock presidential poll to test the readiness of its processes and technology, Amupitan said. He noted the exercises were not originally in INEC's budget but the commission would explore ways to implement them to strengthen the credibility of the polls. The initiatives form part of broader efforts to improve technological reliability, including continued use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, plus a cyber-security review covering redundancy, penetration testing and disaster recovery, Amupitan said. Montgomery said the UK had been monitoring INEC's 2027 preparations, including off-cycle elections in Ekiti, the FCT and Anambra, and the Osun governorship vote, describing UK engagement as part of a 2024 strategic partnership reinforced by President Bola Tinubu's March visit to Britain. ## Why INEC's Mock Presidential Election Plan Matters for 2027 The proposal signals INEC's effort to rebuild confidence in electronic voting after disputes over the 2023 polls. Nigeria's 2027 election is expected to be the continent's largest democratic exercise, and any technological weakness could again become a flashpoint. The UK's technical partnership underscores international interest in a credible process. **Global/Local angle:** The move reflects a wider trend among emerging democracies using simulated polls and systems audits to pre-empt election disputes, with lessons relevant across West Africa. **Sources** - https://leadership.ng/inec-mulls-mock-presidential-election-ahead-of-2027-polls/ - https://punchng.com/2027-election-inec-unveils-mock-presidential-poll-plan/ - https://inec.gov.ng - https://sourcereporters.com/politics/nigeria-2027-general-election-guide - https://sourcereporters.com/politics/inec-2023-election-technology-concerns *Source Reporters corrects errors promptly. Report corrections to corrections@sourcereporters.com.*