The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed confidence in the integrity of the 2027 general elections, declaring that the era of ballot box snatching and manual manipulation of election results is over due to advances in electoral technology and legal safeguards.
The commission made the assertion on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to INEC headquarters in Abuja. The visit focused on strengthening collaboration between both agencies on voter education ahead of the 2027 polls.
Speaking during the meeting, the INEC chairman said preparations for the elections must begin immediately, noting that the presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
He warned that voter apathy and the spread of misinformation remain significant threats to the credibility of the electoral process, stressing the need for sustained civic engagement.
“We need to educate Nigerians on the importance of their votes and how the legal and technological measures now in place protect their choices,” he said.
According to him, the commission must reassure citizens across the country that technological improvements have significantly reduced opportunities for electoral fraud.
“We must explain to the rural farmer, the market woman and the disillusioned urban youth, in clear terms, that with the current technological infrastructure, the era of ballot box snatching and manual alteration of election results is gone,” he stated.
The commission also highlighted successes recorded during the February 21 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections and the June 20 off-cycle governorship election in Ekiti State. These included the early opening of more than 90 per cent of polling units, biometric voter accreditation through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and prompt uploads of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Despite these achievements, INEC noted that the elections revealed persistent voter apathy and confusion among some urban voters regarding polling unit reorganisation and voter registration transfers.
The chairman said the situation showed that while electoral technology continues to advance, public understanding of the electoral process is yet to keep pace.
“This is a clear indication that while our technology is progressing, civic awareness is lagging behind. It underscores the need for intensive and sustained voter education and shows that we cannot wait until the eve of the 2027 elections before engaging citizens,” he said.
He added that technological innovations alone cannot guarantee credible elections without an informed electorate.
“We can deploy the best BVAS machines, improve the IReV platform and perfect election logistics, but these achievements will have little impact if citizens remain disengaged, sceptical or unaware of the power of their votes,” he added.
Describing the NOA as a key partner in civic orientation, INEC said both institutions share a constitutional responsibility to promote democratic values and voter awareness.
The commission called for a decentralised, grassroots voter education campaign and urged stronger collaboration in combating vote-buying and misinformation. It also recommended equipping NOA field officers with adequate knowledge of INEC’s operations to enable them serve as credible community educators ahead of the 2027 general elections.
