The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Ampitane, has promised to increase the adoption of technology to increase transparency in the 2027 general elections scheduled to begin in February next year.
This was revealed in a statement released by the commission on Friday.
His remarks came amid renewed concerns about the real-time transmission of election results and the Senate’s recent approval of a combination of electronic and manual transmission of results, particularly in areas where there are network challenges.
what they are saying
Prof. Ampitan formally released the election notification along with the calendar and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.
He reaffirmed INEC’s independence and neutrality and outlined the commission’s strategic focus areas ahead of the polls.
“Expanding the deployment of technology to increase transparency.” “Continued cleaning and updating of the national voter register.” “Strengthening collaboration with security agencies to ensure peaceful elections.” “Strengthening voter education and stakeholder engagement,” he said.
While welcoming reforms that could strengthen the electoral framework, the Commission stressed the obligation to operate within the current law (Electoral Law) until the amendments are formally enacted.
He also called on political parties to hold their primaries peacefully, avoid inflammatory statements and protect domestic democracy, while appealing to the people to maintain peace throughout the election period.
The INEC Chairman called on government agencies, media, security agencies, civil society organizations and Nigerians at large to play their part in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
He assured stakeholders that the Commission is well prepared and determined to hold elections that reflect the sovereign will of the people.
back story
The renewed emphasis on technology comes against the backdrop of legislative debate surrounding the 2022 election law amendments.
Lawmakers initially refused to mandate electronic transmission of election results from polling stations to the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IREV) after votes were counted.
The Senate reversed its earlier decision following public backlash and protests at the Capitol.
The Senate subsequently re-amended the election law to accommodate electronic transmission of results. The amendments were based on a motion filed by Senate Majority Leader Tahir Monguno during an emergency plenary session. The new regulations allow manual submission using form EC8A as the primary means of collating results in the event of an internet outage. This compromise effectively allows a hybrid system combining electronic transmission and manual verification, where technical limitations exist.
The debate over electronic transmission has remained a sensitive issue since the 2023 election, with stakeholders divided over the reliability of digital infrastructure and the legal interpretation of election laws.
What you need to know
In 2025, the Senate confirmed Prof. Joash Ampitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of INEC following the approval of the Council of State.
His appointment marked a change in leadership at the commission ahead of preparations for the 2027 general election. Mr. Ampitan was confirmed at a plenary session presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The Senate approved his nomination after several hours of scrutiny by lawmakers, during which he answered questions about election reform and the readiness of election administration.
Nairametrics earlier reported that the Council of State on October 9 confirmed Ampitan (SAN) as the new INEC Chairman, setting the stage for final confirmation by the Senate.
