Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan, has led a Nigerian delegation to South Korea for the International Election Observation Programme, organised as part of the country’s Nationwide Simultaneous Local Elections.
The programme, which runs from May 29 to June 5, brings together election management bodies, electoral experts, and international observers from across the world to share experiences and learn from different electoral systems.
The opening ceremony was held in Seoul on Saturday, marking the beginning of a series of engagements focused on election administration, voter participation, electoral technology, and democratic governance.
Professor Amupitan is accompanied by National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Chief Technical Adviser Professor Dimis Mai-Lafia, and Director of Training Dr. Binta Kasim Mohammed.
During the programme, the Nigerian delegation observed early voting operations at a polling centre in Seoul, gaining firsthand insight into South Korea’s electoral processes and best practices.
The visit is particularly significant for Nigeria as INEC continues efforts to strengthen the country’s electoral system through innovation, transparency, and improved voter confidence.
Exposure to successful electoral models from other democracies provides valuable lessons that could help enhance election management and service delivery back home.
For Nigerians, the outcome of such engagements could contribute to more credible elections, improved electoral procedures, and a stronger democratic process.
It also underscores INEC’s commitment to learning from global experiences in order to build public trust and ensure that elections better reflect the will of the people.
This international collaboration is expected to further deepen Nigeria’s electoral reforms and support the ongoing development of democratic institutions across the country.