2027: Your Votes Will Count, INEC Assures Nigerians

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that every vote will count in the 2027 general elections, saying the commission is committed to consolidating the nation’s democratic governance.
INEC Deputy Director of Voter Education and Planning, Mrs Magdalene Aku, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja during a democracy roundtable organised by the NAN Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Aku, who spoke on the theme: “Making Nigeria’s Vote Count in 2027: The Role of INEC,” said that making Nigerians’ votes count was not just a slogan, but a commitment to ensure the electorate’s choices reflected in election outcomes.
She described voters as the “ultimate kingmakers” in a constitutional democracy, adding that that the commission’s primary mandate centred on protecting the will of the electorate rather than monitoring political outcomes.
“For INEC, making your vote count is not just a slogan; it is the bedrock of our democracy and we always try to ensure that we put in the right processes, the right tools to ensure that every individual’s vote counts.
“Our focus is on the Nigerian voters. We do not care about the person who wins or loses the election; it is on the Nigerian voter, and that’s why we’re always placing premium on the voter to recognise the fact that you are the kingmaker,” Aku said.
She highlighted the commission’s progressive adoption of technology to eliminate electoral frauds, citing the transition from Smart Card Readers to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the real-time upload of results via the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal among efforts of the commission.
According to her, transparency was guaranteed right from the grassroots level, as polling unit results recorded on Form EC8A popularly referred to as the people’s result being posted on walls at polling stations for public view before electronic transmission.
“We’ll continue to improve on our processes and continue to ensure that everybody’s vote counts.
“In ensuring that everyone’s vote counts, that is why we improve on technology; transmission of results to the IReV in real time, so people can see the results as it comes.
“First of all, from the polling units, you will see that as soon as results are entered into the Form EC8A, it is pasted on the wall at the polling unit, it is called the people’s result. So everyone sees the result from the polling unit even before it gets to the IReV.
“In improving this process of collation of results, that’s why we also have, as the collation officer is entering the manual result, there is someone present who is also entering the result electronically. So, INEC keeps improving its processes to ensure that everyone’s vote counts,” Aku said.
On inclusivity, the assistant y director affirmed that INEC’s targeted policies ensure hard-to-reach terrains and vulnerable groups including persons with disabilities, noting that the visually impaired and individuals with albinism were fully integrated into the electoral process.
“You’ll agree with me that there are some certain terrains that are difficult to go to, but INEC makes effort to reach those places because it wants to carry everyone along.
“We have targeted voter education, we have our inclusivity policy and we also have our gender policy.
“Inclusivity is to carry everyone along: persons with disability, persons that are visually impaired, albinism and all of that, because no one will be left behind. INEC wants to carry everybody along,” she said.
Aku urged citizens to recognise both their constitutional rights and civic responsibilities, stressing that voter and civic education were key to a thriving democracy.
Aku, however, cautioned citizens against selling their ballots, describing the voter’s card as a fundamental tool for shaping the country’s future.
“If your vote doesn’t matter, why does somebody want to buy it? And why do you want to sell your vote?
“You have to think about your future as well and that’s why we put our voter education messages so people will understand the power that they wield with the voter’s card. Your vote is your voice. Do not sit on the fence,” she advised.
Aku also called for collective action among all stakeholders, noting that while INEC serves as the electoral umpire, achieving seamless elections requires collective responsibilities from the public, media and security agencies.
“INEC has placed all the systems in place. All of us, it’s an all-hands-on-deck thing. All of us must work together to ensure that the systems put in place work effectively.
“Transparency, technology and joint responsibility from each and every one of us is what INEC seeks.
“As the umpire, INEC will regulate the process to ensure the secrecy of the vote and the credibility of the voter’s choice, but all hands must be on deck collectively to achieve free, fair and credible elections,” she added.