(INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, welcoming the Canadian Delegation)
– Prof. Amupitan reaffirmed that INEC’s mandate remained to deliver **free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections** that accurately reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
(Canadian Delegation)
Abuja (FLOWERBUDNEWS): The Canadian High Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s democratic and electoral processes ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The Chargé d’Affaires of Canada to Nigeria, Mr. David Sproule, stated this when he led a delegation of the Canadian High Commission on a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
Mr. Sproule said Canada remained committed to supporting countries seeking to strengthen democratic processes and ensure that elections are free, fair and enjoy the confidence and legitimacy of their citizens.
He expressed particular interest in INEC’s preparations for the 2027 General Election and pledged continued Canadian engagement in areas including electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance and election observation.
He said Canada would continue to provide support and share relevant information and expertise that could contribute to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral processes, adding that the two countries shared the common objective of ensuring credible and legitimate elections.
Welcoming the delegation, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, described Nigeria-Canada relations as a longstanding partnership anchored on mutual respect, democratic values, the rule of law and good governance.
Prof. Amupitan expressed appreciation for Canada’s sustained support for electoral governance, civic education, institutional strengthening and gender inclusion in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed that INEC’s mandate remained to deliver **free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive elections** that accurately reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.
The Chairman said the Commission had continued to use recent off-cycle elections as proving grounds for electoral reforms and operational improvements, citing the Anambra State Governorship Election, the FCT Area Council elections and the Ekiti State Governorship Election as part of the exercises through which INEC had tested and enhanced its operational frameworks.
He also highlighted the recently concluded Osun State Governorship Election, held on 15 August 2026, as a significant benchmark in electoral administration. According to him, 3,556 of the 3,763 Polling Units, representing 94.5 per cent, opened for accreditation and voting by 8:30 a.m., alongside optimal BVAS performance, seamless result uploads on the IReV portal and proactive crisis management.
“We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027,” the Chairman stated.
Prof. Amupitan disclosed that the statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 General Election began on 19 August 2026. He added that INEC had also participated in the signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns by presidential candidates on 18 August 2026, under the auspices of the National Peace Committee.
He identified five key areas of strategic focus for the Commission ahead of the 2027 elections: consolidating technological gains; deepening electoral inclusivity; strengthening institutional capacity and technical support; countering misinformation and safeguarding electoral integrity; and conducting a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026.
The Chairman said the mock accreditation would subject the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral equipment to rigorous field testing to assess the Commission’s readiness and address potential operational challenges ahead of the General Election.
He further disclosed that INEC was scaling up its administrative capacity for the 2027 elections, which would require approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 Polling Units nationwide, describing the operation as one of the largest mobilisations of human resources for a national assignment in Nigeria’s history.
On emerging technology, Prof. Amupitan announced that the Commission had established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Unit to explore the responsible application of AI in areas including data management, voter registration and results transmission, while strengthening safeguards against its misuse.
He said INEC looked forward to participating in the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections, organised by the UNDP and Elections Canada and scheduled for 9–11 September 2026 in Ottawa. He commended Global Affairs Canada, alongside the Spanish and Swedish development agencies, for supporting the initiative.
According to him, the conference would provide an important opportunity for INEC to examine responsible applications of AI in elections and develop strategies to counter emerging threats such as deepfakes and disinformation.
The Chairman also appealed for the Canadian High Commission’s assistance in facilitating the expedited processing of entry visas for members of the INEC delegation attending the conference.
Reaffirming the Commission’s independence and neutrality, Prof. Amupitan assured the Canadian delegation and the international community of INEC’s “absolute independence, neutrality, and unyielding commitment to democratic integrity.”
He expressed appreciation for Canada’s continued interest and constructive engagement with Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing that international partnerships remained important to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring that Nigeria’s electoral system continues to evolve in line with global best practices.
The visit ended with both sides expressing their commitment to sustained engagement and deeper cooperation in support of Nigeria’s democratic development and the successful conduct of the 2027 General Election.
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Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.
Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars. He was an outstanding NAN Defence and War Correspondent for many years.
The retired NAN Acting Boss holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism and decency.
As ECOMOG Press Secretary, Biola Lawal served late Maj.Gen. Rufus Kupolati, Late. Maj.-Gen. Ishaya Bakut and (briefly), late Brig.-Gen. Idowu Adetunji Olurin. In his second tenure, he served late Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu.
He is a Co-Author of the book; ECOMOG, A BOLD ATTEMPT AT REGIONAL PEACEKEEPING! Edited Mrs Magaret Vogt. The book remains the most. factual, detailed and authentic book on the ECOWAS sponsored ECOMOG Military operation.
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