INEC And NOA Partners to Tackle Voter Apathy and Vote-Buying Ahead of 2027 Elections
INEC and NOA have pledged a joint nationwide campaign to tackle voter apathy, disinformation, and vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general elections. This collaboration aims to leverage grassroots education and modern technology to strengthen Nigeria's democratic process and ensure citizens understand the power of their vote.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have agreed to launch a nationwide voter education campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections. The initiative will focus on combating voter apathy, vote-buying, and misinformation while encouraging greater civic participation.
During a meeting in Abuja, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan said credible elections depend not only on technology such as BVAS and IReV but also on an informed and engaged electorate.
Amupitan described voter apathy as a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy, noting that recent elections exposed persistent low voter turnout despite improvements in electoral technology. He called for grassroots voter education to help citizens understand the importance of voting and the safeguards introduced to improve electoral transparency.
The INEC chairman also proposed joint campaigns against electoral malpractice, misinformation, and vote-buying, alongside training NOA officials to educate communities on the electoral process.
NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu welcomed the partnership, saying the agency would intensify nationwide campaigns promoting peaceful participation and discouraging electoral violence and vote-buying.
He stressed that NOA's nationwide network would be leveraged to engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, market groups, transport unions, and civil society organisations. Both agencies said the collaboration is aimed at strengthening public confidence in Nigeria's electoral system and improving voter participation ahead of the 2027 polls.