File picture of voters at a polling unit
Ezenwa Nwagwu, executive director of the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), says misinformation around Nigeria’s elections is driven by poor understanding of electoral laws.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Kwara state, Nwagwu said much of the falsehood about elections stems from a poor understanding of the laws and procedures governing the conduct of polls.
“Lack of understanding of the legal regime with which elections are conducted has been responsible for some of the falsehood and misinformation around electoral processes,” he said.
“It has been humbling to see the level of ignorance, and we are happy to use this platform to educate stakeholders and bridge that gap.”
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The town hall, part of PAACA’s ongoing advocacy for better civic awareness, drew representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, traditional leaders, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), civil society organisations, and the media.
The PAACA director said as the country moves toward the 2027 elections, voter education and sustained civic enlightenment are crucial to countering misinformation and increasing confidence in the system.
Nwagwu expressed concern over “community collusion”, which he warned undermines elections and weakens accountability at the grassroots.
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“As stakeholders, some of us are guilty. We should be agents of change beyond short-term benefits,” he said.
“If INEC has put the power in your hands, then you should seek ways of maximising that power instead of devaluing it. We should be students of the law because politicians study the law and use it as a tool to undermine the process.
“The value of this programme is in cascading it to our various areas of specialisation. We must not just be warm benchers and keep quiet in the midst of so much information gathered today.”
Hale Gabriel Longpet, the INEC resident electoral commissioner (REC) in Kwara, commended PAACA for convening the meeting, describing it as timely for reflecting on past gains and charting areas of improvement ahead of 2027.
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Longpet reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to educate voters and promote participation continuously, noting that credible elections require collective effort from civil society, political parties, the media, security agencies, the judiciary, and other actors.
“Together, we can work towards promoting voter education, ensuring adherence to relevant rules and regulations, preventing electoral malpractices, providing essential services, and enhancing the overall electoral process,” he said.
