By Isaac Olufemi Ojo
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, has described the visit by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, as a strategic partnership aimed at deepening democratic values and civic education ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during the courtesy call in Abuja, Professor Amupitan noted that while the commission has significantly enhanced election integrity through the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV portal—as demonstrated in recent off-cycle polls in the FCT and Ekiti—technology alone is insufficient to guarantee electoral success.
He emphasised that the NOA remains a critical partner in the commission’s mandate to mobilise citizens, foster civic responsibility, and combat electoral malpractice.
On his part, the DG of the NOA, Dr. Lanre Issa-Onilu, threw his weight behind a proposed joint grassroots sensitisation campaign. The initiative is designed to educate rural farmers, market women, and the youth on electoral processes using indigenous languages to ensure wider reach and better understanding.
With the presidential election scheduled for January 16 and governorship polls set for February 6, 2027, Professor Amupitan urged both agencies to hit the ground running. He pledged the commission’s full commitment to the partnership, promising to provide the necessary data and resources to ensure the success of the collaboration.
