By Omoyeni Ojeifo
Disturbed by voter apathy and misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has forged a strategic partnership with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
The engagement is also to strengthen and reinforce civic education.
Persecondnews reports that the partnership was announced on Wednesday in Abuja during a visit by the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to the INEC headquarters.
During the visit, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said credible elections depend not only on technology but on informed citizens who understand the value of their vote.
“INEC cannot build a robust democracy in isolation. All our technological and administrative triumphs mean nothing if citizens remain detached, cynical or completely uneducated about the power of their votes,” he said.
He described NOA as central to Nigeria’s civic enlightenment structure, saying both institutions must work together to sustain democracy.
“While INEC is the umpire that sets up the field and manages the game, the NOA is the custodian of the values that make the players and the spectators respect the rules,” he said.
The INEC chairman issued a stark warning, noting that election integrity faces a continuous threat from widespread misinformation and low voter turnout.
“We are battling a silent, dangerous enemy in our electoral ecosystem: voter apathy and deep-seated cynicism.”
He called for a coordinated national strategy to strengthen civic education at the grassroots level.
“Together, INEC and the NOA must rewrite this narrative. We need to co-create a decentralised grassroots voter education campaign that goes beyond simply telling people when to vote,” he said.
“We need to teach them why their vote matters and how our safeguards protect their choices,” he added.
Amupitan said recent elections in the Federal Capital Territory and Ekiti State showed improved logistics and technology but revealed gaps in voter understanding.
“Our technology is moving forward, but civic familiarity with the evolving system is lagging. We cannot afford to wait until the eve of the 2027 polls to start talking to our people,” he said.
In his response, the NOA Director-General, Issa-Onilu, said civic education must remain continuous and not be limited to election periods.
“Civic education cannot be seasonal. It must be a continuous process, and NOA is committed to working with INEC beyond election periods to build an informed and participatory electorate,” he said.
He said NOA would deploy its nationwide grassroots structure to deepen voter awareness and democratic participation.
“NOA has the advantage of a nationwide grassroots structure, with 818 offices across the country, and we are ready to deploy this network to deepen voter education and strengthen democratic participation in collaboration with INEC,” he said.
Issa-Onilu said misinformation and misunderstanding of electoral processes after the 2023 elections underscored the need for sustained public enlightenment.
“We need to increase the number of Nigerians who come out to vote. We must help citizens understand not only the voting process, but also what happens after elections, including the legal processes that follow,” he said.
Persecondnews also reports that the meeting ended with both institutions pledging stronger collaboration on voter education, civic engagement, and joint campaigns against misinformation and vote buying ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Author
Leave a comment