NEWS
INEC Unveils New Technology To Block Fake Election Results From IReV
INEC Unveils New Technology To Block Fake Election Results From IReV
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has introduced new technical measures to prevent inaccurate election results and figures indicating over-voting from appearing on its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Thursday in London, saying the commission had identified weaknesses in the result management process following the controversies that trailed the 2023 presidential election.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan said the new safeguards would ensure that inaccurate results were detected and blocked before reaching the public portal.
“We have now devised a technical safeguard: if a result is not accurate at the polling unit, it will not go to IReV at all,” he said.
The chairman spoke at Chatham House during a high-level dialogue organised in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), with the theme, “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot.”
He explained that INEC’s post-election assessment identified collation centres as a major source of problems in the management and declaration of election results in 2023.
“We found that the core problem of election result management and declaration in Nigeria is not even at the polling unit—it is at the collation centres,” he said.
Amupitan added that the commission was working to eliminate inconsistencies between polling unit figures and collation records to improve the credibility of the electoral process.
Every second brings Nigerians closer to exercising their democratic right and shaping the future of our nation.
Exercise your democratic right responsibly, peacefully and lawfully.
He also announced that INEC would conduct a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise on November 28, 2026, to test its technological preparations for the 2027 elections.
“On the 28th of this month, we will conduct a mock accreditation and voting exercise across all states of the federation to simulate the presidential election and verify that we have gotten both accreditation and electronic result transmission right,” he said.
Channel
The INEC chairman disclosed that the commission had considered adopting an entirely new electoral technology for the 2027 elections but decided to upgrade its existing infrastructure because of the limited time before the polls.
On concerns over the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the 2023 elections, particularly in areas affected by extreme heat and poor storage conditions, he said the commission was constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He further disclosed that INEC had procured additional BVAS devices and reduced the maximum number of registered voters assigned to each machine from 1,250 to 850.
According to him, polling units with more than 850 registered voters would be provided with additional devices to ensure a smoother accreditation process.
Addressing the trust deficit arising from the 2023 presidential election, Amupitan acknowledged that the controversies surrounding the exercise had significantly damaged public confidence in the commission.
“First and foremost, let me speak about what happened in 2023, which resulted in a significant trust deficit for INEC—damage so large that the Commission has not yet fully recovered from it,” he said.
However, he urged Nigerians to trust his leadership, citing improvements recorded in recent off-cycle elections, including the governorship polls in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti states, the FCT Area Council elections and 16 legislative by-elections.
He said the recent governorship elections in Anambra and Osun demonstrated improvements in the commission’s administrative processes, noting that results in both states were declared the day after voting.
On the funding of the 2027 general elections, Amupitan said INEC had received a substantial portion of its approved budget but was awaiting the release of the outstanding balance.
He said the commission had received assurances that the remaining funds, including allocations for the recruitment and welfare of ad hoc election personnel, would be released before the end of November.
The chairman also dismissed allegations questioning his neutrality following claims on social media linking his telephone number to a controversial X account.
He denied operating an X account, disclosing that an independent forensic examination had been obtained and the matter referred to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police for investigation.
Amupitan also rejected suggestions that his previous involvement in political cases as a legal practitioner could compromise his impartiality, insisting that he acted strictly in his professional capacity as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria before his appointment.
“My loyalty is solely to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act,” he said.
On allegations of irregularities in the voters’ register, including claims of an 85 per cent increase in registered voters in a ward in Ebonyi State, he said the commission had investigated and resolved the complaint in accordance with statutory procedures.
He urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to remain actively involved in the democratic process and guard against misinformation.
“This country belongs to young Nigerians, and they must not relent in working for the Nigeria they desire,” he said.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
DO YOU WANT TO WHISTLEBLOW, REPORT FRAUD, THEFT OR INJUSTICE OR INTIMIDATION? SEND US YOUR STORY/REPORT TO NEWSDESK@MEDIATODAY.NG
