The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the introduction of technology in the nation’s election management has eliminated rigging, thuggery and other election malpractices in Nigeria’s elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this disclosure during a visit by a delegation from the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Pre-Election Assessment Mission (PEAM) to the commission’s headquarters.

According to him, technology has permanently closed the door on legacy voting vulnerabilities and ensured that the ballot box alone determines electoral outcomes.

“As we turn our full institutional focus toward the 2027 general election, the commission is scaling its administrative capacity to manage an unprecedented logistical operation.

“In 2027, INEC will deploy a workforce of approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 Polling Units nationwide,” Prof. Amupitan stated.

He disclosed that INEC is using the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and the register audit, which he said involves utilising the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), to eliminate duplicate records and maintain a clean, verified voter roll.

The INEC Chairman also stated that the commission is expanding early-deployment frameworks and strengthening partnerships with transport unions to ensure the opening of polling units by 8:30 AM across the country on election day.

“We are equally clear-eyed regarding the systemic challenges confronting our democratic space.

“Security risks, localised electoral violence, vote-buying, and the rapid proliferation of hate speech, disinformation, and Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) pose direct threats to voter confidence.

“To mitigate these risks, INEC works closely with security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), alongside anti-graft agencies (EFCC and ICPC), to enforce election laws, monitor campaign finance violations, and prosecute electoral offenders,” he added.

According to him, the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for dual biometric verification and the real-time public display of Polling Unit result sheets (Form EC8A) on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal has demonstrated high operational reliability, adding that the commission achieved upload rates above 98 per cent in the recent Osun off-cycle contests.

Prof. Amupitan said INEC views international election observation missions not as critics, but as invaluable institutional partners.

The objective insights, risk analyses, and recommendations provided by their pre-election missions, he stated, helped the commission to refine its operational strategies, identify blind spots, and build public trust.

He assured of INEC’s unreserved transparency, open-door policy, and full cooperation throughout their engagement in Nigeria.

“As an electoral management body, INEC holds no preference for any political party or candidate.

“Our sole mandate is to serve as an uncompromising, impartial umpire dedicated to delivering a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election that reflects the sovereign will of the Nigerian people,” Prof. Amupitan stated.

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