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The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has launched a grassroots campaign in Gombe State to discourage voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The campaign, unveiled on Thursday at the palace of the Lamido of Akko, Alhaji Muhammad Umar-Atiku, is aimed at promoting peaceful participation and encouraging Nigerians to make responsible choices during the elections.
The Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by Adaline Patari, said voter apathy, vote buying and violence posed serious threats to credible elections and national development.
Issa-Onilu stressed the need for Nigerians to reject practices capable of undermining the electoral process, warning that political competition should not come at the expense of lives, peace and national unity.
He said, “No political ambition should cost any Nigerian a life, no temporary financial inducement should determine our collective future, and no political disagreement should undermine the peace, unity and security of our communities.”
The agency said it would deploy its state directorates and Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers across the country to drive the campaign through town hall meetings, community dialogues, radio programmes, advocacy visits, local-language communication, drama and digital platforms.
The Gombe State Director of NOA, Maimuna Abubakar, said the agency had deployed its officers across the state’s 11 local government areas to ensure the campaign reached communities at the grassroots.
She added that the agency would work with traditional and religious leaders, community-based organisations, market associations, artisans, youth and women’s groups, security agencies and the media to promote the campaign.
The Lamido of Akko commended the initiative and urged residents to participate peacefully in the electoral process while rejecting electoral malpractice and violence.
