Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant during the 2027 general elections, warning that voter apathy and failure to monitor electoral activities could create opportunities for manipulation.
Igini called on eligible voters, particularly young Nigerians, to take an active role in protecting the integrity of the electoral process by observing proceedings at polling units and documenting events as they occur.
He stressed that citizens have the legal right to use their mobile phones to record electoral activities, urging voters not to abandon polling units after casting their ballots.
“On election day, do not sleep. You have the legal right to use your telephone to make video recordings. If you sleep, they will rig the election,” he said.
The former electoral commissioner maintained that credible elections require more than simply voting, noting that citizens must remain attentive throughout the process to deter electoral malpractice and promote transparency.
According to him, the presence of voters at polling units is crucial to safeguarding the process, as citizens are expected to outnumber electoral officials at the grassroots.
“The greatest security that our young men and women who will be at the polling unit will get will be from Nigerian people because in every polling unit voters will outnumber poll officials,” Igini said.
He argued that the responsibility for protecting election observers and young Nigerians involved in monitoring the polls should not be left exclusively to security agencies and electoral authorities.
Igini noted that senior INEC officials would not be physically present at every polling unit, making it imperative for voters and community members to remain watchful and report suspicious activities.
“All the key officials of INEC, from the top level down, will not be at the polling units,” he said.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, Igini urged Nigerians to intensify grassroots mobilisation and sensitisation, encouraging eligible voters to participate actively in the electoral process.
He called on citizens to engage their communities and emphasise the importance of protecting the credibility of elections, stressing that the nation’s future depends on collective responsibility and a commitment to building a system that guarantees equal opportunities for all.
“So, talk to your wards that it is their own future that we want to build a system where there will be opportunity for all and responsibility for all,” he said.
