• APC restructures plans nationwide as G-100 meets House Minority Caucus, schedules unity summit for August 31, says Nigeria can’t afford another four years of ruling party Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to officially lift ban on political campaigns in line with its timetable and schedule of activities, as it projects that Nigeria’s registered voting population would surpass 100 million in next year’s general election. INEC had fixed January 16, 2027 for presidential and National Assembly elections, and February 6, 2027 for governorship and House of Assembly polls. According to the electoral guideline, all public political campaigns, commencing today, August 19, must cease 24 hours prior to election day. INEC added that with the previous voter register standing at over 93 million, the number was expected to cross 100 million after the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), placing Nigeria as the largest electoral democracy in Africa. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the latest developments in Abuja at the Joint Implementation Meeting of the Departments of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) and Gender and Inclusivity (G&I) for the 2027 general election. The meeting was to draft the communication and inclusivity roadmap for the 2027 elections, to ensure the elections were free, fair, credible, peaceful, and inclusive. Haruna urged INEC information officers to deliver effective publicity to mobilise all eligible citizens. He stated, “Our job is to give the widest and most effective publicity to all five sets of elections to mobilise all Nigerians of voting age to choose their leaders. This job is at once simple and complex. “First, we must have a grasp of the language we wish to communicate in and do so with the simplest words and in the most civil manner. Second, we must be knowledgeable about our country’s Constitution, the Electoral Law, and the Commission’s Guidelines. “We must also be well-informed on other relevant legislation like the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts.” The national commissioner stressed that building on the success of recent off-cycle elections, including Osun, demanded harder work to deliver the freest and most credible general elections in the country’s history. Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Adedayo Oketola, described the joint meeting as timely and vital for drafting an actionable communication and inclusivity roadmap. Oketola said while technological infrastructure and operational logistics formed the backbone of electoral administration, the two departments constituted the human face and voice of the INEC. According to him, “You build public trust, simplify complex procedures, and ensure that no eligible citizen is left behind. The antidote to disinformation is proactive, factual, and continuous public engagement. “Our messaging must move beyond traditional announcement-style publicity into aggressive, daily civic education that demystifies our technology, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Results Viewing (IReV), and reinforces the integrity of the open secret ballot system.” On gender and inclusivity, Oketola reiterated that electoral access for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women, youths, and elderly voters remained a constitutional right. He added, “From the deployment of Braille ballot guides and magnifying glasses to prioritising vulnerable queues and expanding youth participation through Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), 2027 must set a new benchmark for electoral access in Nigeria.” APC Restructures Plans Nationwide The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) assured its members that it would soon unveil a detailed, nationwide campaign programme as campaigns officially opened today nationally. The ruling party had earlier scheduled today, August 19, for the commencement of political campaigns, but, reportedly, shelved it. Speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja after the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting that lasted for three hours, APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, revealed that the party was deliberately structuring its strategy before hitting the stump. Morka said, “August 19 is the date fixed by INEC for all parties to start the presidential and National Assembly campaign. There is no law that says we must start on that day. The only thing is, no political party is permitted to start ahead of the day.” He explained that the ruling party was prioritising thorough preparation and consultations over a rushed rollout. Morka stated, “The party is coming up with a comprehensive and w
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