By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerians to reject voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general election, stressing the need for peaceful participation to strengthen the country’s democracy.
Idris made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the flag-off of the National Orientation Agency (NOA)’s nationwide grassroots mobilization campaign for the 2027 general election.
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 eligible voters to participate responsibly in the electoral process.
The minister said elections provide citizens with an opportunity to choose their representatives and influence the direction of the country, warning that staying away from the polls, selling votes or engaging in violence undermines democracy.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.
According to him, the President’s signing of the Electoral Act 2026 introduced reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability and public confidence in elections.
Idris commended the NOA Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and the agency’s staff for initiating the campaign, noting that its success would require collaboration among government institutions, electoral authorities, security agencies, community leaders and citizens.
In his remarks, Issa-Onilu said the agency would deploy its state directorates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to mobilize Nigerians at the grassroots.
He explained that the campaign would employ local languages, radio programmes, community dialogues, drama and digital platforms to address voter apathy, discourage vote buying and electoral violence, and promote the responsible sharing of verified information.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to conducting a free, fair, transparent, inclusive and credible 2027 general election.
Amupitan said achieving credible elections would require early preparation, strong collaboration among stakeholders and active participation by Nigerians.
The NOA campaign is expected to promote peaceful electoral participation, respect for diverse political choices and responsible civic engagement while discouraging actions that threaten lives, national unity and democratic stability.
