INEC and Editors Collaborate to Boost Election Trust

With the 2027 general elections approaching, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) are tackling the challenge of restoring public confidence in Nigeria's electoral process. This issue was the focus of a strategic workshop held in Abuja, emphasizing that electoral integrity is a collective responsibility involving electoral institutions, the media, and civil society.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash O. Amupitan (SAN), stated that public trust is essential for electoral integrity and cannot be built in isolation.

He referenced past elections, particularly the 2023 general election, where technological advancements like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) faced operational challenges that undermined public confidence. To address these issues, INEC has made improvements to BVAS, acquired 57,000 new devices, and enhanced result-management systems.

The commission reported over 10 million new voter registrations, bringing the national register to over 103 million voters. The effectiveness of these measures will ultimately depend on public perception of their reliability during the elections.