The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised fresh concerns over growing voter apathy and misinformation ahead of the 2027 general election, declaring that technology alone cannot guarantee credible elections without an informed and engaged electorate.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, made this known on Wednesday while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, and his management team at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
As preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum, Amupitan stressed that the commission’s investments in election technology would achieve little if Nigerians remained disconnected from the electoral process or lost confidence in the value of their votes. He added that INEC has continued to strengthen its electoral infrastructure through innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), but that lasting electoral credibility depends on citizens understanding and trusting the process.
He noted that while INEC is responsible for conducting elections, the National Orientation Agency possesses the nationwide reach and community engagement capacity needed to promote civic education across the country.
On his part, the NOA Director-General stressed the need to rebuild public trust in government institutions through sustained civic engagement, saying democracy can only thrive when citizens are well-informed and actively involved in the electoral process.
He pledged the agency’s commitment to working with INEC to combat electoral misinformation, increase voter turnout, and strengthen democratic culture ahead of the 2027 general election.
Both institutions proposed joint nationwide campaigns against vote-buying, electoral misinformation, and other practices capable of undermining democratic participation.
As political activities gradually intensify, INEC’s renewed alliance with the National Orientation Agency signals a shift towards addressing not only the logistics of elections but also the deeper challenge of restoring citizens’ belief that every vote counts.
(Editor: Ada Ononye)
