The Independent National Electoral Commission has assured Nigerians that it is taking practical steps to ensure that the 2027 general elections are free, fair, inclusive and credible.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, gave the assurance on Friday in Akure at the 2026 edition of a political programme tagged The Convocation, with the theme, “Electioneering and the Future of Nigeria’s Democracy.”
Agboke, who was represented by the Head of Voter Education, Publicity, Gender and Inclusivity, Olayinka Ogunseye, said the commission was already testing the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices to be deployed for the 2027 elections.
He disclosed that INEC would conduct a test run, similar to a mock election, in November as part of preparations for the polls.
“We want to assure Nigerians that INEC is working towards an election that would be free, fair, inclusive and acceptable,” the REC stated.
The commission also plans to intensify voter education and sensitisation ahead of the elections to encourage greater participation and awareness among citizens.
Speaking at the event, the Ondo State Chairman of the Young Progressives Party, Dotun Ojon, urged Nigerians to participate actively in the electoral process.
“Our people need to participate in the electoral process of this country; election matters concern all of us because it determines how our country would be governed,” Ojon said.
He said the YPP was preparing for the 2027 elections with a focus on winning seats in the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly rather than concentrating solely on the presidential election.
“For our party, the YPP, we are already preparing for the 2027 elections; we are focusing on winning seats in the forthcoming National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections rather than concentrating solely on the presidential poll,” he stated.
Ojon also called for greater opportunities for smaller political parties to win legislative seats, arguing that a strong opposition was important for accountability in governance.
A former Ondo State Commissioner for Sports, Dayo Awude, said elections remained central to democracy and urged stakeholders to work together to address challenges affecting the electoral process.
Awude identified the high cost of electioneering and lack of internal democracy within political parties as some of the challenges requiring attention.
“We may not be where we ought to be, but definitely we are taking one step at a time. I believe things are better now than they were before. So we are moving on,” he said.
He urged citizens not to lose faith in the electoral process and expressed the expectation that the 2027 elections would improve on some of the challenges experienced during the 2023 elections.
The convener of the programme, Henry Olonimoyo, stressed the importance of continuous dialogue in preventing young Nigerians from losing interest in democracy.
He said the platform was created to enable citizens to express their views while providing opportunities for elected officials and other leaders to engage directly with the people.
“If we are practising democracy, we must continue to create platforms for Nigerians to air their views and speak out their opinions. We must also create a platform for the elected, the elites, to rub minds with people and get questions,” Olonimoyo said.
He noted that many young Nigerians had never experienced military rule and were becoming disenchanted with democracy, making continued civic education and engagement important to sustaining democratic participation.
