Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan SAN, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has assured the public that the days of manual election interference are over. Speaking in Abuja to the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, he emphasized that modern technological safeguards now protect the integrity of every ballot.
The two agencies are launching a renewed partnership to boost voter education before the 2027 general elections. The commission is prioritizing early civic engagement to combat voter apathy and the spread of misinformation, which Amupitan identified as primary threats to democracy.
While technological advancements like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) have improved operations during recent off-cycle elections, the INEC chairman noted that public understanding of these systems remains insufficient. He stressed that advanced equipment is useless if citizens are disengaged or cynical about the process.
Mallam Issa-Onilu of the NOA highlighted the urgent need to increase voter turnout, noting that the current percentage of voters is alarmingly low relative to total registrations. The collaboration aims to move beyond traditional, top-down communication, utilizing digital and grassroots strategies to ensure that the electorate is informed, engaged, and confident in the security of their votes.
