By Asaye Bankole
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the technical and operational challenges that characterised the 2023 presidential election will not be repeated in the 2027 general elections.
The commission said it had taken deliberate steps to strengthen its electoral processes, improve the performance of its technological platforms and restore public confidence in the country’s electoral system.
INEC gave the assurance on Thursday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting on voter education and youth participation organised by the Kimpact Development Initiative under its YERP-Naija project.
The commission’s Deputy Director of Voter Education, Mrs Paula Iwenjiora, who represented the Director of the department, Mrs Etta-Messi, acknowledged that the challenges experienced during the 2023 presidential election had negatively affected public confidence in the electoral body.
She particularly identified technical difficulties associated with heavy traffic on INEC’s website during the election as one of the issues that generated public criticism.
According to her, the commission has since taken steps to address the shortcomings, with noticeable improvements recorded during subsequent governorship elections.
Iwenjiora urged Nigerians not to allow their experiences during the 2023 elections to discourage them from participating in the democratic process, stressing that citizens must remain actively involved in determining the country’s political future.
She expressed optimism about the leadership of INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), noting that he had been engaging national commissioners, directors and other officials to improve the commission’s performance ahead of the 2027 elections.
The INEC official also disclosed that the commission had intensified its voter education campaigns through collaborations with tertiary institutions, civil society organisations, religious organisations and grassroots associations.
She emphasised that social media engagement alone was insufficient to guarantee meaningful political participation, urging stakeholders to take voter education directly to communities and encourage citizens to become actively involved in the electoral process.
Iwenjiora particularly challenged young Nigerians to register as voters, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), participate in political party activities and contribute to decisions affecting the nation’s development.
She maintained that young people should move beyond online political discussions and translate their interest in governance into active participation at the ballot box.
On electoral security, she said INEC was collaborating with relevant security agencies to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process.
She further disclosed that technology, including drones, would be deployed as part of efforts to monitor electoral activities and identify offences such as vote-buying.
Earlier, the Executive Director of Kimpact Development Initiative, Bukola Idowu, expressed concern over the declining confidence of young Nigerians in public institutions and the country’s electoral system.
Idowu identified misinformation, economic hardship, electoral insecurity and growing distrust in government institutions as some of the factors discouraging young people from participating in elections.
She stressed the need for sustained voter education, greater institutional accountability and increased public engagement to rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Also speaking, the Resident Country Director of the National Democratic Institute in Nigeria, Francis Madugu, disclosed that the YERP-Naija project had trained youth volunteers across all 109 senatorial districts in the country.
According to him, the trained volunteers would undertake grassroots voter education campaigns to encourage greater participation among young Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening democratic awareness, promoting informed electoral choices and addressing challenges that could discourage eligible voters from exercising their constitutional rights.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, INEC’s assurance comes amid growing public expectations for a more transparent, credible, technologically reliable and inclusive electoral process.
The commission is expected to demonstrate its commitment through effective preparations, improved election-day logistics, reliable technology and measures capable of restoring Nigerians’ confidence in the electoral system.
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