2027 POLLS: FG WARNS AGAINST VOTE BUYING, VOTER APATHY, AS NOA FLAGS OFF GRASSROOTS MOBILISATION
By Shalom Oludele
The Federal Government has warned Nigerians against voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general election, saying every eligible citizen has a responsibility to protect democracy through peaceful participation.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja at the flag-off of the National Orientation Agency’s nationwide grassroots mobilisation campaign for the 2027 general election.
The campaign is themed, Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future: Say No to Apathy, Vote Buying and Violence. Let’s Build a United Nigeria in 2027.
Idris said an election is more than a day at the polling unit, describing it as an opportunity for citizens to decide who represents them and to influence the direction of their communities and the country.
An election is more than a day at the polling unit. It is an opportunity for citizens to decide who represents them and to influence the direction of their communities and country. When eligible voters stay away, sell their votes or resort to violence, the entire democratic process suffers, the minister said.
He said the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process, noting that the President signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law to introduce important reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability and public confidence in the electoral process.
The minister commended the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and staff of the agency for the initiative, and urged them to sustain public engagement nationwide.
He said the success of the campaign would depend on cooperation among government institutions, electoral authorities, security agencies, community leaders and citizens.
In his remarks, the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the agency would deploy its state directorates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory for the campaign.
He said the campaign would use local languages, radio programmes, community dialogues, drama and digital platforms to address voter apathy and discourage vote buying and violence.
The National Orientation Agency will take this campaign to communities across the country, engaging Nigerians in languages they understand to promote voter participation, discourage vote buying and electoral violence, and encourage the responsible sharing of verified information, Issa-Onilu said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, said the commission was committed to delivering a credible and inclusive 2027 general election.
INEC is committed to conducting a free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible 2027 General Election. Achieving this requires early preparation, strong collaboration among stakeholders and the active participation of Nigerians, he said.
According to the organisers, the NOA campaign is aimed at encouraging Nigerians to participate responsibly in the 2027 general election, respect the choices of others and reject actions that threaten lives, national unity and democratic stability.
