2027: INEC Says Result Manipulation, Ballot Box Snatching No Longer Determine Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the era when ballot box snatching and manual manipulation of election results determined electoral outcomes is over, saying improved legal reforms and technology have significantly strengthened the nation’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The assurance was given by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN), on Wednesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to the commission’s headquarters, PulseNets learnt.
PulseNets reported that discussions during the meeting centred on expanding collaboration between INEC and the NOA, particularly in the areas of voter education, civic awareness, and public enlightenment as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
Amupitan explained that Nigeria’s electoral system has witnessed remarkable reforms in recent years, noting that the introduction of modern technology has drastically reduced opportunities for electoral fraud.
He pointed to innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), saying both platforms have strengthened transparency and made manual alteration of election results increasingly difficult.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that preparations for the next general elections have already commenced, with the presidential election fixed for January 16, 2027, while governorship elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
According to him, while technological innovation remains a key pillar of electoral credibility, voter confidence and active participation are equally essential for successful elections.
He said:
“We need to teach them why their vote matters and how our new legal and technological safeguards protect their choices. We must look the rural farmer, the marketplace woman, and the disillusioned urban youth in the eye and explain to them, in the language they understand, that because of the current technological infrastructure, the era of snatching ballot boxes or rewriting results manually is gone.”
Amupitan also reflected on the progress recorded during the February 21 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections and the June 20 governorship election in Ekiti State.
He noted that both elections recorded operational improvements, including the timely opening of polling units in more than 90 percent of locations, successful biometric accreditation through BVAS, and quicker transmission of results to the IReV portal.
Despite the improvements, the INEC chairman acknowledged that voter turnout and public understanding of the electoral process remain major concerns.
He observed that voter apathy continues to affect participation, particularly in urban centres where many eligible voters either failed to vote or experienced uncertainty over polling unit adjustments and voter transfer procedures.
According to Amupitan, the situation highlights a significant gap in voter education across the country.
He said:
“This is a clear indicator that while our technology is moving forward, civic familiarity with the evolving system is lagging. It is a loud diagnostic signal that far more needs to be done in the area of intensive, deep-rooted voter education, and it proves that we cannot afford to wait until the eve of the 2027 polls to start talking to our people.”
He maintained that democratic progress cannot rely solely on technology if citizens remain disconnected from the electoral system.
Amupitan stressed that sustained voter education and continuous engagement are necessary to build public confidence in elections.
He added:
“We can purchase the finest BVAS machines, we can optimise the IReV to international standards, and we can map out the most logistical routes for material deployment. But all of these technological and administrative triumphs mean nothing if the citizens remain detached, cynical, or completely uneducated about the power of their votes.”
The INEC chairman described the National Orientation Agency as one of the commission’s strategic partners in promoting civic responsibility and democratic participation nationwide.
He said both organisations share the responsibility of educating Nigerians and encouraging greater participation in the electoral process.
Amupitan further emphasised the need for an extensive grassroots voter education campaign capable of reaching communities across the country.
He also advocated stronger public awareness campaigns to tackle misinformation, fake news, and vote-buying before the 2027 elections.
He said:
“Together, INEC and the NOA must rewrite this narrative. We need to co-create a decentralised, grassroots voter education campaign that goes beyond simply telling people when to vote.”
According to him, deeper collaboration between both institutions has become increasingly important as Nigeria approaches another election cycle.
Speaking further, Amupitan stated that civic engagement strategies must evolve to reflect current realities, especially with the growing influence of young voters and digital communication platforms.
He noted that traditional communication methods alone can no longer effectively engage today’s electorate.
He concluded:
“Our doors are wide open. We are ready to pool our resources, share our data, and give your teams all the institutional support required to make this collaboration a resounding success.”
Earlier, NOA Director-General Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu expressed concern over the low voter turnout recorded in elections despite the country’s large number of registered voters, PulseNets learnt.
He said increasing electoral participation should now become a national priority.
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Issa-Onilu explained that the agency has continued taking advocacy campaigns directly to communities across Nigeria to encourage citizens to actively participate in elections.
He said:
“We are going into communities with our advocacy to the people.
“We both have in our hands civic education and voter education. We humbly seek support from INEC, which we are already having, but we believe it can be better. We need to increase the number of people who come out to vote. Those who come out to vote are very low compared to those on the register. We need to even let them know everything beyond the elections to ensure that Nigerians can keep track of cases in court.”
