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By Gabriel Ameh
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has launched a nationwide grassroots mobilisation campaign to encourage Nigerians to participate actively in the 2027 general election and reject voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence.
The campaign was flagged off in Abuja on Thursday, October 15, by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, with the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, and the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, among other stakeholders in attendance.
Held under the theme, ‘Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future: Say No to Apathy, Vote Buying and Violence. Let’s Build a United Nigeria in 2027,’ the initiative aims to strengthen civic awareness and promote peaceful participation ahead of the elections.
Idris said elections provide citizens with an opportunity to determine who represents them and influence the direction of their communities and the country.
He warned that when eligible voters refuse to participate, sell their votes or resort to violence, the democratic process suffers.
The minister called for collaboration among government institutions, electoral authorities, the media, political parties, civil society organisations and community leaders to promote credible elections.
He also stressed the importance of responsible journalism and urged media organisations to ensure that information shared with the public is accurate, verified and responsible, particularly as misinformation and fake news pose challenges to electoral participation.
Idris said citizens needed clear and timely information about voter registration, voting procedures and their electoral rights and responsibilities. He urged Nigerians to distinguish verified information from rumours and deliberate attempts to mislead the public.
The minister commended NOA for taking civic education to communities and said its grassroots structures could help reach citizens in languages they understand through traditional and religious leaders, youth groups, women’s organisations and community associations.
He also highlighted the importance of cooperation between NOA and INEC, noting that public enlightenment and voter education must complement the electoral commission’s preparations for the polls.
INEC Chairman Amupitan, in his remarks, said early preparation and civic responsibility were essential to the success of the 2027 general election.
He described elections as a process rather than a one-day event, explaining that preparations involve reviewing previous polls, assessing challenges and improving electoral administration.
Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible election. He urged citizens and community stakeholders to support efforts to protect the integrity of the electoral process and promote national unity.
The INEC chairman also highlighted the scale of the election, citing more than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units nationwide as key operational considerations for the commission.
He explained that the commission had used its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to identify and remove duplicate registrations during the voter register review. He also discussed technological measures and provisions for eligible voters seeking replacement voter cards, as part of efforts to improve access to voting.
Both officials emphasised that credible elections depend not only on electoral laws, technology and the work of institutions, but also on the conduct of political parties, election officials and citizens.
The NOA campaign is expected to mobilise Nigerians across the country, encouraging eligible voters to participate peacefully, reject inducements and violence, verify election-related information before sharing it, and respect the choices of fellow citizens.
As preparations for the 2027 general election continue, the campaign places grassroots civic education at the centre of efforts to strengthen public confidence, democratic participation and national unity.
Source: Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation; speeches by Mohammed Idris and INEC Chairman Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan at the NOA campaign flag-off, Abuja, October 15, 2026.
