Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has urged Nigerians to prepare to pay the price for credible elections in 2027, stressing that political mobilization and citizens’ vigilance will be key to ensuring that every vote counts.
Speaking at the ongoing First Daily 5th year Anniversary Lecture on electoral reforms and democratic participation, Itodo warned that cynicism and voter apathy could undermine Nigeria’s democracy if citizens fail to engage meaningfully in the electoral process.
“The biggest problem is not just cynicism,” Itodo said. “It’s having uninformed voters exercising important political choices in 2027. The real question is: are we ready to pay the cost of making our votes count?”
He emphasised that beyond casting ballots, Nigerians must actively participate in safeguarding electoral integrity through oversight, civic education, and sustained advocacy for transparent processes.
“What 2027 requires is massive political mobilization,” he added. “We have to get citizens energized and ready to provide oversight on their votes. Democracy works only when people defend it.”
On the issue of election result management, Itodo highlighted the ward collation stage as the weakest link in Nigeria’s electoral process, noting that it often serves as the point where manipulation occurs.
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“The most vulnerable stage is the ward collation,” he said. “That’s where results are tampered with — in poorly lit schools and dilapidated public buildings. Sometimes, they skip the ward collation entirely and move straight to local government collation centers.”
He also called for a balanced approach between manual and electronic result transmission, explaining that while technology enhances transparency, it is not infallible.
“We might achieve electronic transmission of results in the ongoing reforms, but it must go hand-in-hand with the manual process,” he noted.
“You can’t surrender the entire electoral system to machines; they have vulnerabilities. The two systems should complement each other as checks,” he added.
Itodo concluded by reiterating the need for stronger civic participation, reforms in the results management process, and a collective national commitment to protect Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 polls.