2027 General Election: We Can’t Promise 100% Perfection-INEC Chairman

Ahead of the 2027 General Election, head of the nation’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan has told Nigerians that there is no assurance of being 100 per cent perfect.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Professor Joash Amupitan, who said this during a Citizens’ Town Hall programme that major television stations aired live on Sunday, also noted that INEC has the capacity to electronically transmit election results.

The event called ‘Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your votes and the 2027 elections’ was anchored by Seun Okinbaloye and the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo.

 ‘Let me just appeal to Nigerians, because I have noticed now that what Nigerians desire is a perfect election. And INEC will strive as much as possible to give this country the best election.

However, we may not be able to achieve a 100 per cent perfect election for now. But as far as electronic transmission of results is concerned, I said it before the FCT Area Council that we have the capacity to transmit the results, and that we’re going to transmit the results. The only concern was real-time.

Election, for that matter, is the lifeblood of democracy. According to Abraham Lincoln, the ballot is more powerful than the bullets. Also, the ignorance of a voter is very inimical to the security of a nation.

So, that is why we cannot underscore the role of INEC, as well as the civil society, in guaranteeing a transparent and credible election’ Professor Amupitan submitted.

He also commented on the Electoral Act 2022 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Amendment Bill, 2026 while disclosing that INEC was actively involved in the process that gave birth to it.

 ‘As of the time I was taking over, the work was almost concluded. But nonetheless, we still made some important provisions and recommendations in the new acts.

Now, even talking about the transmission of the results, you will notice that the original provision that came out of the retreat from the National Assembly was not exactly what you have today.

But when INEC came in, we talked of transmission being mandatory. But let us be sincere and honest. The only problem that we had was how to define what we call real time.

Let’s look at the FCT area council election that just took place. Now, there are six area councils in the FCT. The results came out on time in five area councils. But in the Kuje area council, we have 10 wards. And the results in one ward, Kabi, did not come until the following day, Sunday.

Now, on Saturday, when we mobilised and sent people to that ward from Kuje town, Kabi ward is about three-and-a-half hours’ drive. And the terrain is very bad. So, I was worried.

When we sent our polling officials and security agencies to that ward, the moment they entered that place, we could not reach them. They were not accessible by phone. And nobody could speak to them until we had to send somebody on Saturday morning, just to be sure that they were safe, before we now got the results.

They brought the results to Kuje town. And then it was collated along with the remaining nine wards before the result could be declared’ he said-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you