By James
Kindly share:
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared that Nigeria’s electoral process is entering a new era where ballot box snatching, manual result manipulation and other traditional forms of electoral fraud will no longer determine election outcomes, as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
The assurance comes amid growing public skepticism over the credibility of elections following years of allegations of rigging, violence, voter suppression and post-election litigation. Although recent electoral reforms have introduced technology into the voting process, many Nigerians have continued to question whether election results truly reflect the will of the people.
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to the commission’s headquarters, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, said the commission has strengthened both legal and technological safeguards to protect the integrity of future elections.
According to him, innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal have drastically reduced opportunities for election result manipulation and other forms of malpractice.
He said the commission is determined to ensure that votes cast by Nigerians count, stressing that the era when politicians could influence outcomes through ballot box snatching or manual rewriting of results is steadily coming to an end.
Amupitan disclosed that preparations for the 2027 polls are already in progress, with the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship elections are expected to hold on February 6, 2027.
He, however, warned that technological innovation alone cannot guarantee credible elections without widespread public participation.
“We need to teach Nigerians why their votes matter and how these new legal and technological safeguards protect their choices. The rural farmer, the market woman and the young voter must understand that the system has changed and that the old methods of manipulating election outcomes are gradually disappearing,” he said.
The INEC chairman cited the recent Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections and the Ekiti State governorship election as evidence of improvements in election administration.
According to him, the elections witnessed earlier arrival of election materials, successful biometric accreditation through BVAS and faster electronic transmission of results to the IReV portal.
Despite these achievements, he expressed concern over declining voter turnout, particularly among young people and urban residents, describing voter apathy as one of the biggest threats to Nigeria’s democracy.
He noted that many registered voters still lack adequate understanding of polling unit transfers, voter registration procedures and the evolving electoral process.
“This shows that while our electoral technology continues to improve, public understanding is not advancing at the same pace. There is an urgent need for sustained voter education long before Nigerians return to the polls in 2027,” he said.
Amupitan maintained that democracy can only thrive when citizens actively participate in elections and trust the electoral system.
He, therefore, called for stronger collaboration between INEC and the National Orientation Agency to deepen civic education, combat misinformation, discourage vote-buying and rebuild public confidence in the electoral process.
The INEC chairman pledged the commission’s full support for a nationwide grassroots voter enlightenment campaign, saying modern communication strategies must be adopted to reach young voters and rural communities alike.
Earlier, NOA Director-General Lanre Issa-Onilu lamented Nigeria’s low voter turnout despite having millions of registered voters.
He said increasing electoral participation should become a national objective, adding that the agency has intensified community-based advocacy to encourage Nigerians to register, vote and remain actively engaged in the country’s democratic process.
Issa-Onilu added that stronger cooperation between NOA and INEC would enhance voter education and help citizens better understand not only the voting process but also the legal and constitutional mechanisms that shape Nigeria’s elections.
The renewed partnership between the two agencies comes as INEC begins laying the foundation for the 2027 general elections, with electoral transparency, voter confidence and civic participation expected to dominate discussions in the months ahead.
