INEC Chairman Amupitan Sets Osun Election as Benchmark

On August 21, 2026, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), described the conduct of the Osun State governorship election on August 15, 2026, as a benchmark in electoral administration. He announced a nationwide mock accreditation exercise scheduled for November 2026 to assess INEC's preparedness for the 2027 General Election.

Amupitan noted that 94.5% of polling units in Osun were operational by 8:30 a.m., attributing this success to the effective use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and proactive crisis management. He emphasized that the Osun election's success would inform preparations for the upcoming elections.

Additionally, he mentioned the need for a voter revalidation exercise, particularly for elderly voters registered since 2011, although this could not occur before the 2027 elections due to time constraints. The Presidential and National Assembly elections are set for January 16, 2027, with the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027.