Insight publisher, Ogunlana, identifies areas of concern ahead 2027 elections

Insight publisher, Ogunlana, identifies areas of concern ahead 2027 elections

Bayo ADELEKE

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The publisher of The Insight Newspaper/ogbomosinsightonline.com, Mr. Femi Ogunlana, has identified voter apathy, vote buying, insecurity, misinformation, political intolerance and lack of accountability as some of the major challenges that could affect the credibility of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

Mr. Ogunlana raised these concerns while delivering a keynote address titled “Citizens and the 2027 Elections: Areas of Concern” at the 2026 Annual Breakfast Meeting organised by the Cedars for Human Welfare Initiative (CEHUWEI), held Friday, October 30, at the organisation’s office in the Adiatu area of Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

Ogunlana noted that as the country prepares for another general election, attention should not be restricted to the political parties and candidates seeking elective positions, but should also focus on the responsibilities of citizens and the credibility of the electoral process.

He observed that elections remained an important means through which citizens choose their leaders, assess their performance and determine the direction of governance, stressing that the strength of democracy depended on responsible leadership and active participation by the electorate.

On voter apathy, he attributed the growing disinterest among Nigerians to unfulfilled political promises, economic hardship and the perception that votes do not count. He, however, warned that withdrawing from the electoral process would further reduce the ability of citizens to influence decisions affecting their lives.

He called on electoral institutions to earn public confidence through transparency and competence, while urging citizens to participate actively in the democratic process.

“One major concern is voter apathy. Many Nigerians have become demoralized and discouraged by unfulfilled promises, economic hardship and the belief that their votes may not count.”

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Calls for credible elections, improved BVAS

Speaking on electoral credibility, Mr. Ogunlana stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen its preparations for the 2027 elections, particularly in voter registration, collection of Permanent Voter Cards, deployment of election technology and transparent collation of results.

He expressed confidence in the potential of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to prevent over-voting and improve the integrity of elections, urging INEC to ensure that upgraded and more reliable devices were deployed for the exercise.

He also called for improvements in voter accreditation and election-result management, including the capture and uploading of result records to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

According to him, the technical challenges associated with the system during the 2023 general elections must not be allowed to undermine the electoral process in 2027.

The keynote speaker also expressed concern over vote buying, noting that economic hardship had made some citizens vulnerable to financial inducements during elections.

He warned that exchanging votes for money amounted to sacrificing long-term public interest for temporary benefits, urging Nigerians to regard their votes as instruments of accountability rather than commodities for sale.

On political campaigns, Mr. Ogunlana lamented the increasing resort to mudslinging, name-calling and intimidation instead of meaningful debates on candidates’ ideas, policies and manifestoes.

He urged political parties and candidates to embrace issue-based campaigns, respect electoral laws and discourage violence among their supporters.

He further called on security agencies to ensure the protection of voters and electoral officials, while advising young people against allowing themselves to be used as instruments of political violence.

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Warns against misinformation, divisive politics

Mr. Ogunlana identified the spread of misinformation through social media as another concern, warning that false reports, manipulated videos and unverified allegations could mislead voters, deepen divisions and undermine public confidence.

He urged citizens to verify information before sharing it and avoid allowing political disagreements to degenerate into insults, hostility and unnecessary divisions.

On the quality of candidates, he advised voters to look beyond ethnicity, religion, party loyalty and financial strength, and instead assess candidates based on their competence, integrity, records of service and proposed policies.

He also urged political parties to strengthen internal democracy and present credible candidates, noting that the central consideration for voters should be who could best serve the public interest.

The speaker advocated greater participation of young people in the electoral process, urging them to take up roles as voters, candidates, election observers and policy advocates rather than allowing themselves to be reduced to campaign tools or political foot soldiers.

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He equally stressed the need for women, persons with disabilities, older citizens and other vulnerable groups to have opportunities to participate freely and safely in the electoral process.

Addressing the issue of national unity, Mr. Ogunlana warned against the exploitation of ethnic and religious differences for political advantage. He urged Nigerians to respect divergent political opinions and avoid turning neighbours into enemies because of their political preferences.

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He maintained that whoever emerged victorious in an election had a responsibility to govern for all citizens, irrespective of their political affiliations.

Advocates citizens’ accountability beyond elections

Mr. Ogunlana further reminded Nigerians that their democratic responsibilities did not end after casting their ballots, urging them to monitor elected officials and demand accountability through lawful and peaceful means.

He noted that political commitments on employment, education, healthcare, security and infrastructure should be measured against actual performance.

As part of the way forward, he called on INEC to strengthen its operational preparedness and ensure transparent electoral procedures, while political parties and candidates should commit themselves to peaceful campaigns and compliance with electoral laws.

He also urged the media, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and religious leaders to intensify voter education and promote responsible political engagement.

Citizens, he added, must reject vote buying, verify political information and assess candidates based on their character, competence and policy proposals.

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He stressed that electoral victory should not be regarded as a licence to govern without accountability, but as a mandate to serve the people.

Concluding, Mr. Ogunlana said the success of the 2027 elections should not be measured solely by those who emerged victorious, but also by the credibility, inclusiveness and peaceful conduct of the process.

He called on “Nigerians to collectively reject violence, misinformation, vote buying and divisive politics, stressing that the responsibility for protecting the integrity of the ballot rested on all citizens.”

Mr. Bukola Olatunji, Executive Director of CEHUWEI, said the programme was an annual event, noting that the approaching general elections makes this year’s edition crucial “in order to sensitize the electorate on effective participation in the electoral process.”

Olatunji informed CEHUWEI was planning to organize interactive/debate sessions with candidates later in the year “to determine the candidates’ plans for the people,” adding, “It is time our political office holders are more deeply scrutinized for their promises to enable the electorate determine whom to cast their votes for, and help to hold them responsible and accountable.”

Mr. John Ajekiigbe, who represented the National Orientation Agency (NOA), also advocated a better democracy in the country, thumbing up the submissions of Ogunlana.

journalists and members of civil society groups also graced the occasion.