2027: Civil society organizations call for INEC readiness tests, new BVAS and IReV tests

2027: Civil society organizations call for INEC readiness tests, new BVAS and IReV tests

By Raphael Ekpang

Abuja (Core Reporters) Six civil society organizations have challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide verifiable evidence of its preparedness for the 2027 general elections, particularly the readiness and reliability of its electoral technology and results management systems.

He made this known at a press conference held in Abuja on Friday, October 2, 2026.

The groups said INEC must demonstrate that results upload challenges seen during the 2023 general elections have been fully addressed and subject its key technologies to independently verifiable stress tests ahead of the polls.

The request was contained in an open memorandum approved by the Center for Media and Society, International Press Centre, Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund, TAF Africa, Kukah Center and Yiaga Africa.

With presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, the organizations said INEC should replace extensive safeguards with measurable evidence that Nigerians, political parties and election observers can independently assess.

“INEC must go beyond general assurances and provide regular and verifiable evidence of operational readiness,” the groups said.

They called on the Commission to publish a dated preparedness dashboard covering election financing, procurement milestones, delivery and storage of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, safe distribution and emergency provisions for areas affected by insecurity or infrastructure challenges.

Civil society organizations also requested details on recruitment requirements and the number of electoral staff, training programmes, employment plans and welfare arrangements for ad hoc staff.

They urged INEC to fill vacancies in critical leadership and technical positions sufficiently in advance to safeguard institutional capacity and operational continuity.

Civil society organizations require BVAS and IReV stress tests

The groups identified election technology as an important area requiring greater public scrutiny ahead of the 2027 elections.

They asked INEC to explain how the Electoral Law 2026 and its regulations and guidelines would govern the accreditation of voters, management of polling unit results, collection and publication of results, including the use of the EC8A electronic form.

They specifically called for stress testing of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC’s Results Viewing Portal (IReV), with the results made public.

The organizations also called for clearly defined fallback procedures for technology failures and transparent audit trails for corrections or delayed uploads of election results.

Citing difficulties in uploading results encountered during the 2023 general elections, the groups called on INEC to “publish verifiable evidence” that the issue had been resolved.

They also urged the Commission to allow observers to independently verify improvements during the planned mock accreditation exercise.

The organizations also called on INEC to issue clear guidelines for the collection of permanent voter cards (PVCs), including logistical arrangements and deployment of staff, to prevent delays and possible disenfranchisement.

They also asked for clarification on the proposed use of downloadable ballot papers and clear guidance on their applicability during general elections.

Parties are warned against vote buying and intimidation

The memorandum also outlines the responsibilities of political parties and candidates, security agencies, the media, the judiciary, community leaders and civil society organisations.

Political parties and candidates were urged to reject hate speech, incitement to ethnic and religious hatred, threats, coercion, vote buying and obstruction of lawful political activities.

Civil society organizations also warned against using dominant position advantages to limit opposition parties’ access to polling locations, outdoor advertising and other shared resources.

According to them, access to such resources should be regulated by transparent and non-discriminatory rules applicable to all parties and candidates.

Civil society organizations call for a public election security framework

The organizations called on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to publish a coordinated election security framework outlining threat assessments, risk mitigation measures, command responsibilities, rules of engagement, protection of vulnerable communities, and rapid response and grievance procedures.

They stressed that security personnel must operate impartially and should not be used as a tool of partisan coercion.

Media outlets were urged to provide fair, issue-based coverage, distinguish journalism from sponsored content, verify viral claims before amplification, and conspicuously correct errors.

Religious and community leaders were also urged to reject violence, exclusion and collective blame, while the judiciary was encouraged to resolve electoral disputes within established timescales and to promptly publish reasoned decisions.

The organizations also recognized responsibilities within the civil society sector, calling for greater coordination between election observation and civic education, verification of claims before advocacy, and consistency and independence in reporting.

“We must demand from ourselves the same transparency, fairness and accountability that we demand from public institutions,” the memorandum reads.

The groups argue that the credibility of the 2027 general election will largely depend on decisions made and preparations made well before election day.

They therefore urged all institutions involved in the electoral process to clearly state what they will do, when they will do it and how Nigerians will be able to independently assess their progress.