INEC Says Votes Will Count in 2027, as it Ramps Up Technology, Logistics for Nearly 100m Voters

…Plans 1.4m staff for 176,846 polling units nationwide in massive election operation

By Abu Adamu
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has assured Nigerians that their votes will count in the 2027 general election, as it ramps up technology, logistics and operational preparations to manage an electorate approaching 100 million voters.

Acting Chairman of INEC, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, gave the assurance on Tuesday while receiving an African Union, AU, Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Gumus said the commission was undertaking extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations to ensure effective participation by eligible Nigerians and deliver a transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful election.

She assured that INEC would remain independent and neutral, stressing that every administrative decision would be guided by law and technological deployments designed to strengthen transparency and public confidence.

According to her, the ultimate test of the commission’s preparations would be an election in which Nigerians determine the outcome through their votes.

She said the final result of the 2027 general election would “reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate.”

Gumus said INEC was drawing lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun states as it fine-tunes preparations for the nationwide polls.

The commission is also paying increased attention to emerging technological threats to electoral credibility, particularly election-related disinformation and artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.

INEC consequently identified digital training for ad hoc election personnel, countering disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and improving gender and inclusion frameworks as areas where technical and institutional assistance from the AU could be valuable.

Gumus described the AU mission as an important opportunity for peer assessment and institutional learning, saying such engagements could strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system and reinforce public confidence.

She stressed, however, that credible elections remained a collective responsibility involving INEC, political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations, the media, development partners, and the electorate.

Leader of the AU delegation and former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, said the mission was designed to assess preparations already underway, identify possible gaps and risks, and determine areas where the continental body could provide technical assistance.

The delegation will examine critical aspects of Nigeria’s preparations, including voter registration and register integrity, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination, and results management.

Mekonnen said the assessment also reflected the continuing partnership between Nigeria and the African Union in promoting democratic governance and credible elections across the continent.

With an electorate approaching the 100 million mark, INEC faces a huge operational challenge in 2027, requiring the coordination of personnel, technology, election materials, security, and results management across the country.

Gumus said the commission remained focused on meeting that challenge and ensuring that when Nigerians go to the polls, their choices at the ballot box determine the final outcome.