The Adopt-a-Goal for Development Initiative has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the 2027 general election is one of Nigeria's most credible polls. This, the group says, would be a fitting tribute to late democracy advocate Ariyo Dare Atoye, who died on October 27, 2022. Atoye was a frontline civil society advocate for electoral reforms, democratic accountability, and citizens' participation.
In a statement marking the fourth anniversary of Atoye's death, the organisation's Executive Director, Kunle Afolabi, noted that Atoye devoted much of his public life to strengthening the integrity of Nigeria's electoral process. The group described the 2027 general election as a historic opportunity to translate Atoye's advocacy for electoral reforms into practical results. It urged INEC to ensure that every eligible Nigerian can vote freely and every lawful vote counts.
The organisation said INEC would ultimately be judged not merely by its logistical preparations or deployment of technology, but by whether Nigerians considered the electoral process impartial, transparent, and credible. It urged the electoral commission to safeguard the voters' register, ensure transparent deployment of electoral technology, and strengthen the transmission and collation of results.
Adopt-a-Goal also called for professional training of electoral personnel, strict neutrality, and the early identification and resolution of operational and technological challenges that could undermine the credibility of the polls. The group said political parties and candidates also had a responsibility to reject violence, intimidation, and vote-buying, allowing citizens to exercise their democratic rights freely.
The organisation urged civil society groups, the media, religious and traditional institutions, professional bodies, and citizens to play active roles in safeguarding the electoral process. According to the group, the true test of electoral reform begins at polling units and continues through voter accreditation, voting, counting, collation, and the final declaration of results.
Recalling Atoye's commitment to peaceful civic mobilisation as a means of influencing public policy and strengthening democracy, the organisation said his advocacy remained relevant to Nigeria's electoral future. The group maintained that the 2027 elections offered INEC an opportunity to restore public confidence and demonstrate that years of advocacy for electoral reform had not been in vain.
Adopt-a-Goal said a transparent and credible election would constitute a more meaningful tribute than anniversary speeches or commemorative events. It added that a credible election would prove that the ballot can truly be stronger than manipulation, violence, money, and political influence, keeping Atoye's advocacy alive.
Key points
- The Adopt-a-Goal for Development Initiative has urged INEC to ensure the 2027 general election is one of Nigeria's most credible polls.
- The group wants INEC to safeguard the voters' register and ensure transparent deployment of electoral technology.
- A credible election would be a fitting tribute to late democracy advocate Ariyo Dare Atoye.
