Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says credible elections in 2027 will depend not only on technology but also on informed, engaged and educated voters.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja when he received the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and his delegation on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters.
Prof. Amupitan said while INEC has invested in electoral technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, these tools alone cannot guarantee credible elections if citizens remain disconnected from the process.
He identified voter apathy, fake news and misinformation as major threats to Nigeria’s electoral system, warning that they could undermine public trust in elections.
The INEC Chairman called for stronger collaboration with the NOA to enhance voter education, particularly at the grassroots, and to intensify campaigns against vote buying and electoral misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He noted that preparations for the polls had already commenced, adding that recent elections in the Federal Capital Territory and Ekiti State reflected improvements in election management, including biometric accreditation and faster result transmission.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the agency’s nationwide presence places it in a strong position to sustain civic education beyond election periods.
He stressed that public trust in the electoral process must be built through continuous engagement, adding that voter education should not be limited to election cycles.
Issa-Onilu also highlighted knowledge gaps among young and first-time voters, calling for sustained collaboration between INEC and NOA to strengthen democratic participation across the country.