INEC: Perfect Election Not Possible in 2027, but Poll Will Be Nigeria’s Best — Amupitan

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Ojo Amupitan, has said the commission cannot guarantee a completely flawless election in 2027, especially with regard to real-time electronic transmission of results, but assured Nigerians that the polls would mark a major improvement over previous elections.

Amupitan spoke at a Citizens’ Townhall Meeting organised by the Civil Society Network on Election Integrity in Abuja, where he acknowledged logistical, technical, and human limitations in large-scale elections, stressing that absolute perfection is unrealistic anywhere in the world.

He explained that while INEC has the capacity to electronically transmit results, delays may still occur due to network and operational factors. Using a banking analogy, he said results may be successfully transmitted even if they do not appear instantly, warning against interpreting such delays as evidence of manipulation.

Reflecting on the 2023 general elections, Amupitan admitted that while INEC tested its technology during state and off-cycle polls, it failed to adequately test nationwide, simultaneous transmission during the presidential election. He said this gap has now been identified and would be fully addressed before 2027 through extensive system testing and stress simulations.

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He added that the credibility of any election depends largely on logistics and result management, citing the recent FCT Area Council elections, where results were declared promptly in five councils, while delays occurred in one ward in Kuje. According to him, an election should be judged successful if it starts on time, is peaceful, and results are transparently managed and declared according to law.

Amupitan also called for simpler language in the Electoral Act 2026, arguing that clearer provisions would help citizens better understand electoral rules and reduce post-election disputes.

Despite the challenges, the INEC chairman expressed optimism that the 2027 elections would be Nigeria’s most credible yet, noting that voters are more informed, politically aware, and technologically savvy than ever before.

Reactions from Civil Society and Political Parties

Reacting to Amupitan’s comments, civil society organisations welcomed INEC’s admission of past shortcomings but urged the commission to translate promises into concrete reforms.

The Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, Samson Itodo, said acknowledging limitations was a positive step, but warned that public trust hinges on consistent transparency, especially around result transmission and communication with voters on election night.

Similarly, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) said INEC must prioritise logistics, voter education, and accountability for electoral offenders to avoid a repeat of controversies seen in previous elections.

From the political space, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said INEC’s statement reinforced the need for stronger legal safeguards and independent oversight, warning that technological failures could be exploited by desperate politicians.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), however, urged Nigerians to focus on reforms already underway, saying early preparation and improved testing could restore confidence in the electoral process.

INEC: Perfect Election Not Possible in 2027, but Poll Will Be Nigeria’s Best — Amupitan

FAAN issues travel advisory as flights face delays, cancellations over Middle East crisis

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has issued a travel advisory to passengers following airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East that have disrupted flight operations to and from the region.

In a statement released to journalists in Lagos on Saturday, FAAN said the development has led to flight cancellations, extended delays and schedule adjustments affecting passengers travelling through key Middle Eastern hubs.

According to the authority, several international airlines operating from Nigerian airports have been impacted by the temporary closure and restriction of airspace in parts of the Gulf region, forcing carriers to reroute flights or suspend services altogether.

FAAN urged passengers travelling to destinations in the Middle East or connecting through major hubs in the region to confirm their flight status with their respective airlines before heading to the airport.

“The situation is beyond the control of local airport authorities,” FAAN said, noting that the disruptions stem from geopolitical tensions that have prompted aviation regulators in affected countries to restrict access to their airspace as a safety precaution.

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The authority assured travellers that Nigerian airports remain fully operational and that it is working closely with airlines and other aviation stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to passengers.

FAAN also advised passengers to allow extra time for travel arrangements and to stay updated through official airline communication channels.

Airspace restrictions in the Middle East often have a ripple effect on global aviation due to the region’s strategic position as a major transit corridor linking Africa, Europe, Asia and North America. Airports in cities such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi serve as critical connecting hubs for thousands of Nigerian travellers daily.

Whenever geopolitical tensions escalate in the region, aviation authorities may temporarily close portions of airspace or impose routing limitations to ensure passenger safety.

Such measures typically result in longer flight times, operational costs for airlines and schedule disruptions worldwide.

For Nigeria, where a significant volume of international travel relies on Middle Eastern carriers, any restriction in that corridor can significantly impact passenger movement and cargo logistics.

FAAN issues travel advisory as flights face delays, cancellations over Middle East crisis

Presidency, APC Reject Opposition Claims on Electoral Act 2026

The Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have strongly pushed back against demands by opposition parties — notably the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) — to revisit or scrap the recently signed Electoral Act 2026. The opposition figures, including former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and Rauf Aregbesola, had accused the law of being “skewed in favour of the APC” and vowed to resist its implementation by all lawful means. Their statements at a high‑profile news conference in Abuja sparked a fierce response from the Presidency and leading voices within the ruling party.

The opposition’s public rejection of the law, read by NNPP chairman Dr. Ahmed Ajuji after procedural disagreement over speaking rights, focused on what they described as anti‑democratic provisions that could undermine electoral transparency and the sanctity of the ballot. Central to their critique was a controversial amendment to Section 60(3) of the Act, which they claim grants “wide and undefined discretionary powers” to presiding officers and negates the purpose of electronic transmission of election results from polling units.

According to opposition representatives, the proviso allowing printed results on Form EC8A to be deemed valid where network challenges occur could open the door to manipulation and delay of electronic results. They pointed to public statements by the immediate past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, noting that Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) equipment can operate offline with a success rate above 90 %, allowing results to be uploaded later when network availability improves.

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The Presidency swiftly rejected the opposition’s claims, describing their statements as “reckless” and “spurious.” In a strongly worded counter‑statement, the government accused the ADC, NNPP and allied civil society actors of waging a “relentless war of disinformation” against both the National Assembly and the Tinubu‑led administration. The Presidency emphasised that the 2026 Electoral Act, signed into law by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aims to improve electoral processes by allowing real‑time results transmission while recognising that network glitches remain a reality in many parts of the country.

According to the government, the law does not prohibit electronic transmission but provides a sensible backup mechanism that ensures election results are not invalidated simply because of temporary network outages. It noted that the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) is a public viewing system and not a collation centre, stressing that the primary source of validation remains the official Form EC8A.

The Presidency also defended other changes in the Act, including the removal of delegate‑based primaries in favour of direct primaries and consensus voting, which it described as democratic innovations that empower party members rather than party elites. Government spokespeople said it was “perplexing” that opposition parties would criticise reforms that bring Nigeria closer to international practices — citing similar candidate selection processes in countries like the United States.

Responding to claims that the law was designed to favour the APC, the Presidency reiterated that Nigeria remains a vibrant multiparty democracy, with more than a dozen legally registered political parties. It called on critics to focus on strengthening their organisational structures rather than blaming the legal framework for their challenges, accusing some opposition leaders of using “cheap shots” and political rhetoric to mask their own internal weaknesses.

The ruling party’s leadership also weighed in. APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru said the opposition’s resistance to the law was “feeble and illogical,” while National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka described the opposition’s fears over internet connectivity as exaggerated performances aimed at “playing to the gallery” despite understanding the realities of technological limitations in Nigeria’s electoral environment.

Meanwhile, members of the House of Representatives of Nigeria acknowledged that calls for review and amendment of the Electoral Act fall within legislative norms. Deputy Spokesman Phillip Agbese said that while the law is a work in progress, any future changes should be pursued through a proper amendment bill that follows due legislative process, stressing that amendments must enhance transparency, credibility and public confidence rather than serve partisan interests.

House Spokesman Akintunde Rotimi also emphasised that late‑stage amendments so close to the 2027 general elections could introduce avoidable complexity into planning, logistics, training, procurement and voter education. He noted that the current provisions were the outcome of broad stakeholder engagement and bipartisan collaboration in the National Assembly, and that any effort to amend the law must maintain administrative stability for the electoral body.

The ongoing controversy over the Electoral Act 2026 underscores the high stakes in Nigeria’s political landscape as the nation prepares for its next general elections. With legal battles, political rhetoric and public debate now deeply intertwined with electoral reform, the dispute over the law’s interpretation and implementation is likely to remain a focus of national discourse in the months ahead.

Presidency, APC Reject Opposition Claims on Electoral Act 2026