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The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, has described the recently concluded Osun State governorship election as a model for future electoral exercises.

Amupitan also disclosed that the Commission would hold a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 as part of its preparations for the 2027 General Election.

The INEC chairman made the disclosure on Friday, August 21, 2026, in Abuja during separate courtesy visits by Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires to Nigeria, Mr David Sproule, and the Country Representative of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, KAS, Mr Moritz Sprenker.

According to Amupitan, the Osun governorship election held on Saturday, August 15, 2026, demonstrated the benefits of proper administrative planning and dependable electoral technology.

He disclosed that 3,556 of the 3,763 polling units in the state, representing 94.5 per cent, were ready for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m.

The INEC chairman attributed the performance to the effective deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, seamless transmission of results through the INEC Result Viewing, IReV, portal and effective crisis management by officials in the field.

“We regard the success in Osun not as a final goal, but as the benchmark that will inform our preparations for 2027,” Amupitan said.

He explained that the planned November mock accreditation would serve as a nationwide test of the Commission’s readiness ahead of the general election.

Amupitan described the exercise as a major field assessment of the BVAS system, aimed at strengthening the credibility and integrity of the 2027 electoral process.

The INEC chairman also thanked the Canadian government for its continued partnership and support towards the Commission’s electoral preparations.

He further highlighted the need for voter revalidation, noting that many Nigerians, especially elderly citizens who completed their registration as far back as 2011, would eventually need to validate their voter records.

According to him, carrying out the revalidation exercise before the 2027 election would not be feasible because of time limitations, although he stressed that it remained important for subsequent electoral exercises.

Amupitan noted that the meetings with the foreign partners came at a significant period in the Commission’s electoral timetable.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.

He recalled that Wednesday, August 19, 2026, officially marked the beginning of campaigns and rallies ahead of the 2027 elections.

The INEC chairman also recalled the Commission’s participation in the National Peace Committee’s signing of the inaugural National Peace Accord alongside presidential candidates and political party leaders.

He said the accord was designed to encourage issue-based campaigns ahead of the elections.

Welcoming the Canadian delegation, Amupitan said the visit further strengthened the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Canada, particularly their shared commitment to democracy, good governance and the rule of law.

He acknowledged Canada’s continued contributions to electoral governance, civic education, institutional development and gender inclusion in Nigeria.

Amupitan identified five key areas where INEC hoped to deepen cooperation with Canada.

They include consolidating the technological improvements recorded during the Osun election, improving electoral participation among persons with disabilities, women, youths and other underrepresented groups, strengthening institutional capacity through training and technical support, tackling election-related misinformation and supporting the planned mock accreditation exercise.

Earlier, Sproule praised INEC for its efforts towards conducting free and credible elections and reaffirmed Canada’s willingness to support the Commission in areas where assistance is required, including election observation.

He expressed particular interest in improving the participation of women and other groups in the electoral process, adding that Canada remained confident in INEC’s ability to conduct credible elections.

During a separate engagement, Amupitan welcomed Sprenker, the newly appointed Country Representative of KAS, and congratulated him on his appointment.

He described KAS as a longstanding partner of INEC and praised its contributions to constitutional democracy, good governance and the rule of law across the world.

Amupitan recalled that INEC and KAS had worked together on regulatory frameworks for political parties, including technical retreats organised in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, and Lagos.

He said the collaborations contributed to the Commission’s preparations for the Osun governorship election.

The INEC chairman listed civic education, promotion of democratic values, electoral technology, institutional strengthening, combating misinformation, greater inclusion of persons with disabilities and marginalised groups, as well as inter-agency dialogue among the areas where INEC seeks continued partnership with KAS.

Responding, Sprenker said KAS currently operates in more than 100 countries and has maintained a presence in Nigeria for over 25 years.

He said the foundation works with government institutions, civil society organisations, academia and the media.

Sprenker recalled a capacity-building workshop on procurement conducted with INEC in Lagos in March 2026 and reaffirmed KAS’s commitment to further strengthening its partnership with the electoral commission.

Amupitan used the engagements to reassure the international community that INEC remains independent, neutral and committed to protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.

He added that the Commission was also strengthening its logistical capacity ahead of the 2027 election, which will require the deployment of approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

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