…Says no voter’s card no voting
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan on Thursday assured Nigerians of the readiness of the Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible election in the 2027 forthcoming general elections.
Amupitan also said that the Permanent Voter’s Card remains central in the poll; stressing that no PVC no voting.
He made the disclosure at the National Orientation Agency Flag-off of the Nationwide Grassroots mobilisation for the 2027 general election.
The mobilisation has as theme: Your vote, your voice, your future: Say no to apathy, vote buying and violence. Let’s build a united Nigeria in 2027.
Amupitan in his address titled: “INEC’s preparations and Readiness for the 2027 general election” said the election can further bond and unit Nigeria.
He is hopeful that the election destroy some of the sectarian centrifugal tendencies that have been a challenge to the country’s quest and desire to build one United Nation.
He said: “As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general election, we stand at an aspirational and civil threshold, where administrative efficiency must be matched by deep civic consciousness.
”From the team, it’s very important for us to bear at the back of our mind that to get it right, this election can further bond Nigeria, unite Nigeria, and destroy some of the sectarian centrifugal tendencies that have been a challenge to our quest and desire to build one United Nation.
”Today, I’m here to assure every Nigerian, through the network of community leaders, orientations, and civil partners, that INEC is ready, prepared, and resolutely committed to conducting a fair, free, transparent, and credible 2027 general election.”
To achieve this, Amupitan said it requires early preparation, strong collaboration among stakeholders and the active participation of Nigerians.
Amupitan listed voter apathy, vote buying and low voter education as some of the challenges identified by the commission.
He said: “We are identifying in advance some of the issues that they have presented by the director-general.
“One of which issues of vote buying, voters’ apathy, as well as very low voters’ education, misinformation, and disinformation.”
Given the magnitude of the country’s population and size, INEC boss said the 2027 polls will be the largest democratic exercise on the African continent.
He said: “Now, contextualizing the operational scale of 2027 general election to appreciate the depth of INEC preparation, one must first grasp the sheer operational scale of the Nigerian electoral enterprise.
“The 2027 general election will be the largest democratic exercise on the African continent, one of the most complex administrative undertaking in the world.”
On the voters card, Amupitan said it remains the only legal means for eligible Nigerians to exercise their rights.
To ensure that no one was left out, he said that the Commission has decentralised the collection centres to registration areas.
He said: “We have decentralized collection centers down to registration areas that is at the ward level across all the 774 local government areas, making card taking convenient, cheap, and accessible.
“Now, on the 9th of this month, we started distributing the PVCs across the country, so it’s ongoing right now.
“So, we have decentralized the collection center to the wards, to urge all Nigerian citizens who have registered, apply, or transfer to visit their designated collection centers to collect their card, but the PVC remains the sole legal instrument for voters’ accreditation on election day.
“No PVC, no voting.”
He therefore added, “I want to appeal to every Nigerian to go early enough, because the attitude of waiting for the last minute, early enough, especially those that register in the first phase, and the second phase almost delivered now.”
Citing the sucess recorded in the recent Osun governorshop, Amupitan said it was possible because all the security agencies worked together.
He therefore said the Commission will be deploying the same model used in Osun governorship poll in the 2027 general election.
He also disclosed that the Commission has successfully executed 10 out of the 14 statutory activities.
Amupitan also assured that the Commission is doing everything possible to avoid glitches during the elections.
On NOA flag off of the Nationwide Grassroots mobilisation, INEC boss said “An election management body can deploy state-of-the-art technology and achieve perfect logistics, but the true custodian of democratic legitimacy remains an informed, engaged electorate.”
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in his remarks called on Nigerians to reject voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence.
Idris pointed out that every eligible citizen has a responsibility to protect democracy and help shape the country’s future through peaceful participation in the 2027 general election.
“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, was committed to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
“President Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law, introducing important reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability and public confidence in the electoral process,” Idris said.
The Minister commended NOA Director-General Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu and the Agency’s staff for the initiative, urging them to sustain public engagement nationwide. He said the campaign’s success 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. 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.
The NOA campaign aims to sensitise Nigerians to participate responsibly in the 2027 general election, respect others’ choices, and reject actions that threaten lives, national unity, and democratic stability.
