The Oyo State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Tuesday received a courtesy visit from the leadership of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Oyo State Chapter, at its State Headquarters.
The IPAC delegation, led by its Chairman, Mr. Kabiru Akinade, and the Secretary, Hon. Dairo Olayinka, and other members of the executive, paid a visit to introduce their newly inaugurated leadership formally and to explore avenues for collaboration with NOA to promote voter education and civic sensitization ahead of the upcoming elections.
During the engagement, IPAC noted that two major elections are forthcoming in Oyo State—the local government elections scheduled for later this year, and the general elections in 2027.
The council emphasized the need for continuous voter registration and mass mobilization to combat voter apathy.
It also pledged to work actively to ensure a peaceful, orderly, and hitch-free electoral process.
The delegation was warmly received by the State Director of NOA, Mrs. Ajolayo Akande, and her management team. In her remarks, Mrs. Akande described the visit as timely and commendable, stressing that NOA remains committed to its core mandate of promoting civic values, national unity, and responsible citizenship.
She assured the delegation that the Agency would intensify efforts to encourage citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and provide proper voter education to reduce the incidence of invalid votes during elections.
Highlighting NOA’s ongoing grassroots sensitization initiatives, Mrs. Akande explained that the Agency actively engages citizens across markets, motor parks, religious centres, workplaces, and through media partnerships to ensure widespread access to civic information.
These efforts, she noted, are coordinated through the Department of Civic Values and Democracy Education to promote voter participation and informed decision-making.
The IPAC Chairman reiterated the council’s commitment to peaceful, transparent, and credible elections, while commending NOA for its sustained efforts in civic education.
The Secretary also appreciated the Agency’s impact and called for stronger collaboration to deepen grassroots awareness.
In response, Mrs. Akande reaffirmed NOA’s readiness to partner with IPAC, emphasizing that civic sensitization and democratic participation, though central to the Agency’s mandate, should be seen as a shared and continuous responsibility among all stakeholders.
The visit concluded on a note of renewed commitment, with both NOA and IPAC pledging to strengthen collaboration towards promoting civic responsibility, peaceful political engagement, and credible electoral processes in Oyo State.
The NOA State Director also used the opportunity to remind the delegation about the proper recitation of the National Anthem, including the appropriate occasions for each stanza, and presented them with copies of the anthem.
