The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has said the commission cannot meet Nigerians’ desire for a perfect election.

Mr Amupitan, at a Citizens’ Town Hall programme on Sunday, themed ‘Electoral Act 2026: What it means for your votes and the 2027 elections,’ said INEC will do its best but cannot achieve the perfect election Nigerians desire.

“Let me just appeal to Nigerians, because I have noticed now that what Nigerians desire is a perfect election. And INEC will strive as much as possible to give this country the best election,” Mr Amupitan said.

The INEC chair said that though the commission is committed to conducting free and fair elections, it cannot guarantee perfect elections.

“However, we may not be able to achieve a 100 per cent perfect election for now,” said the INEC chair. “But as far as electronic transmission of results is concerned, I said it before the FCT area council that we have the capacity to transmit the results and that we’re going to transmit the results. The only concern was real-time.”

Addressing the debate over electronic transmission of results, the INEC chairman said infrastructure challenges, not unwillingness, were responsible for the isolated delays.

Citing the FCT area council election, where results were declared in five of six councils, he said difficult terrain and network limitations delayed real-time upload in the Kuje Area Council, particularly Karshi Ward.

“The delay was logistical, not systemic. Transmission did not fail. The issue was timing, not integrity,” he said.

He said the Electoral Act provided safeguards to ensure results were transmitted and properly collated.

The official identified logistics as critical to credible elections, listing timely voting, peaceful conduct, effective result management, and transparent declaration as key benchmarks.

Mr Amupitan acknowledged infrastructural and human challenges but said institutional learning and reforms were ongoing.

He, however, reaffirmed the INEC’s commitment to credible, transparent, and technology-driven elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.

Mr Amupitan stressed that free, fair, and transparent elections were instruments of stability, investor confidence, and long-term growth.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled Nigeria’s presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027.