PAACA asks stakeholders to study INEC guidelines ahead of 2027 polls

The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA), a civil society organisation (CSO), has urged Nigerians, particularly stakeholders in the electoral process, to familiarise themselves with innovations, reforms and guidelines introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Ezenwa Nwagwu, PAACA executive director, made the call at a one-day town hall meeting in Sokoto to sensitise key actors on electoral reforms and improve voter education towards credible elections.

The centre organised the meeting with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

Nwagwu stressed the need to bridge knowledge gaps on key innovations and election guidelines introduced by the INEC to counter widespread misinformation, especially as the country prepares to enter political season.

He said discussion on elections must be evidence-based, adding that stakeholders should study electoral laws to engage knowledgeably rather than relying on misinformation.

“Ninety percent of crimes during elections are committed by politicians. If citizens are empowered with the right information, manipulation becomes difficult,” Nwagwu said.

He charged leaders at all levels to take personal responsibility for educating themselves and their communities to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, adding that “those who take the pain to learn are better informed and can inform others better”.

Umar Yusuf Garba, INEC’s resident electoral commissioner in Sokoto state, represented by Abdullahi Sale Dawa, the head of voter education and publicity, described the town hall as an important platform to deepen understanding of electoral processes.

“The just concluded 2023 general election offered valuable lessons. While the elections demonstrated progress in areas such as voter education, deployment of technology, and stakeholders’ engagement, they also revealed challenges that call for honest reflection and constructive dialogue,” he said.

“It is only through this engagement that we can consolidate the gains achieved, address identified gaps and chart a clearer path towards credible, transparent and inclusive elections in the future.”