The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called on Nigerians to reject voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general election.
He made the call in Abuja during the flag-off of the National Orientation Agency (NOA)’s nationwide grassroots mobilisation campaign for the 2027 general election.
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The campaign, themed “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future: Say No to Apathy, Vote Buying and Violence. Let’s Build a United Nigeria in 2027,” seeks to encourage responsible electoral participation and strengthen democratic values across the country.
Idris said elections provide citizens with an opportunity to choose their representatives and influence the direction of governance, warning that voter apathy, vote buying and violence undermine the democratic process.
He explained that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was committed to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process and promoting public confidence in democracy.
The Minister also cited the Electoral Act 2026, which he said introduced reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the electoral process.
Idris commended the Director-General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and the agency’s staff for initiating the campaign, urging them to sustain public enlightenment and engagement across the country.
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He stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on collaboration among government institutions, electoral authorities, security agencies, community leaders and citizens.
In his remarks, Issa-Onilu said NOA would deploy its state directorates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to mobilise citizens and promote peaceful participation in the elections.
He explained that the campaign would utilise local languages, radio programmes, community dialogues, drama and digital platforms to reach Nigerians at the grassroots.
The NOA Director-General added that the initiative would also encourage responsible sharing of verified information to curb misinformation and promote informed electoral decisions.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, said the Commission was committed to conducting a free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible 2027 general election.
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He emphasised the need for early preparation, collaboration among electoral stakeholders and active citizen participation to ensure peaceful and credible elections.
The NOA campaign is designed to encourage Nigerians to exercise their voting rights responsibly, respect the choices of others and reject practices that threaten lives, national unity and democratic stability.