The 2027 general elections in Nigeria must meet the constitutional test of credibility, even if perfection cannot be guaranteed, public affairs analyst and former President of the Nigeria and Africa Union of Journalists, Lanre Ogundipe, has said.

Ogundipe made the assertion in reaction to remarks by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, who recently stated that the Commission cannot promise a “perfect” election in 2027. The comment has sparked concerns among political observers and the general public over the integrity of the electoral process.

According to Ogundipe, while no election in the world is flawless, the Nigerian Constitution requires elections to be credible. He cited Section 153 and Paragraph 15 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, noting that Nigerian courts rely on “substantial compliance” with electoral laws rather than absolute perfection in determining the validity of elections.

“A perfect election would imply zero logistical delays, zero human error, zero equipment malfunction, zero disputes, zero litigation. No democracy in the world achieves that standard,” Ogundipe said. He noted that countries like the United States, India, and the United Kingdom maintain audit and verification mechanisms to preserve public trust even when technology is used.

The analyst highlighted the ongoing debate on electronic transmission of results under the Electoral Act 2022, which introduced technological measures such as electronic accreditation and result transmission to enhance transparency. While acknowledging the efficiency these tools provide, Ogundipe warned that technology alone cannot guarantee credibility. Network instability, hardware failure, and power disruptions, he said, are operational realities that must be addressed with contingency and manual verification measures.

Ogundipe also drew attention to potential legal ambiguities in the Electoral Act 2026, cautioning that sections 50, 60, and 62 could be open to varied interpretation if not clarified ahead of the elections. He emphasised that stability and clarity in electoral legislation are crucial to preventing discretionary exploitation and fostering public confidence in the process.

According to him, the constitutional test for the 2027 elections rests on three key pillars: strict adherence to the Electoral Act, technological transparency with verifiable audit trails, and visible institutional impartiality. “Democracy does not collapse because systems experience strain. It collapses when institutions appear partial,” Ogundipe said.

He further stated that the electorate should not demand flawless elections but must expect measurable improvement, disciplined adherence to the law, and demonstrable neutrality from the electoral umpire. “Nigeria does not need an election without errors. It needs an election without bias,” he added.

Ogundipe concluded that the democratic verdict in 2027 will depend on whether rules are obeyed, technology is managed transparently, and INEC maintains independence from partisan influence. “No excuses. No ambiguity. No bias. That is the constitutional test Nigeria must meet,” he said.