INEC to Hold Mock Presidential Election Before 2027

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed a mock presidential election prior to the 2027 general elections to evaluate its voter accreditation systems, result transmission infrastructure, and the INEC Result Viewing Portal under conditions similar to an actual election day. This proposal was made by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, on Wednesday in Abuja during the 13th Annual International Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN).

The conference focused on "Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruption and the New Dynamics of Electoral Communication." Amupitan highlighted the challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence in creating misleading content, which could impact electoral integrity. He outlined five priorities for addressing information challenges ahead of the 2027 elections, including integrating technology with communication planning and investing in public media literacy.

Additionally, he mentioned that INEC had submitted a substantial budget for election technology and operations, and preparations for the mock election are ongoing.