The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct a mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 as part of preparations for the 2027 General Election.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Friday when he received a delegation from the Canadian High Commission on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters.
Amupitan said the exercise would subject the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral equipment to rigorous field testing to assess INEC’s readiness and strengthen the credibility of the electoral process.
He said, “Conduct of Mock accreditation in November 2026 to assess our readiness for the general election. We will be subjecting our electoral equipment, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS, to a rigorous field test to fortify the sanctity of the ballot during the election. We will appreciate your partnership in ensuring the success of this Mock Accreditation.”
The INEC chairman reiterated that the Presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
He said the Commission remained focused on increasing voter participation, securing the ballot and strengthening public confidence in the electoral system.
Amupitan cited the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election as a benchmark for INEC’s operational readiness ahead of the mock accreditation and the 2027 elections.
He said 3,556 of the 3,763 polling units, representing 94.5 per cent, opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m., while BVAS performance and results transmission through the IReV portal were also successful.
“Through early morning logistics deployment—where 3,556 out of 3,763 Polling Units (94.5%) opened for accreditation and voting precisely by 8:30 a.m.—optimal BVAS field performance, seamless result upload on the IReV portal, and proactive crisis management, Osun demonstrated what is possible when administrative foresight meets technological fortitude,” he said.
He added that INEC considered the Osun election “not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027.”
The INEC chairman also noted that August 19, 2026, marked the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 elections.
He said the Commission had, on August 18, joined presidential candidates at the National Peace Committee’s signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC would deploy approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide, describing the deployment as one of the largest human-resource mobilisations for a national assignment in Nigeria’s history.
He identified other areas of focus in the Commission’s engagement with the Canadian delegation as technological advancement, greater electoral inclusion for persons with disabilities, women and youths, institutional capacity building and combating misinformation ahead of the polls.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that the Commission had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Unit to explore the use of AI in data management, voter registration and results transmission while preventing its misuse.
He also expressed INEC’s interest in participating in the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Elections Canada, scheduled to take place in Ottawa from September 9 to 11, 2026.
Amupitan appealed to the Canadian authorities to facilitate expedited visa processing for INEC officials attending the conference and reassured the international community of the Commission’s commitment to neutrality.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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