The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the 2027 general elections will be free, fair and credible, declaring that every valid vote will count and that the outcome will reflect the will of the electorate.
The commission also dismissed claims that politicians could manipulate election outcomes by stockpiling Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), insisting that technological safeguards have rendered such tactics ineffective.
The Head of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC Kwara State, Dr Adejumo Peter, stated this on Thursday in Ilorin during a seminar organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
According to him, the commission has introduced measures that prevent anyone from using another person’s PVC to vote, making the practice of collecting or hoarding voter cards obsolete.
“INEC has introduced measures that make it impossible for anyone to use another person’s PVC to vote. That is why politicians have shifted their focus to vote-buying.
“Many politicians are still living in the past. Stockpiling and carting away PVCs can no longer guarantee electoral victory,” he said.
Peter assured residents of Kwara State that the commission would strictly comply with the Electoral Act and INEC’s operational guidelines in conducting the 2027 elections.
“INEC in Kwara will follow the rules and procedures laid down by the commission. We will ensure that the elections are conducted on the basis of one person, one vote. At the end of the exercise, the outcome will reflect the will of the people,” he said.
He urged political parties and their candidates to embrace issue-based campaigns and refrain from violence before, during and after the elections.
“I urge politicians to play by the rules. They should campaign on their manifestos and shun violence before, during and after the elections.
“Let us conduct the elections peacefully like a sporting contest. They should accept the outcome of the elections,” he added.
Also speaking at the seminar, themed “Dissecting the Amended Electoral Act 2026: Innovations and Implications for Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections,” the Head of INEC’s Legal Unit in Kwara State, Abdulfatai Atata, described the amended Electoral Act as a major milestone in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
According to him, the legislation introduces key reforms aimed at improving transparency, strengthening internal party democracy and expanding the deployment of technology in the electoral process.
“As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the Act will serve as both a test and a tool for deepening the country’s democratic governance,” Atata said.
