The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has acknowledged that its handling of the 2023 presidential election contributed to the erosion of public confidence in the electoral process, while assuring Nigerians that improvements have been made ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission gave the assurance on Thursday at the second stakeholders’ roundtable on voter education and youth participation, organised by Kimpact Development Initiative under its YERP-Naija project in Abuja.
INEC’s Deputy Director of Voter Education, Mrs Paula Iwenjiora, who represented the Director of Voter Education, Mrs Etta-Messi, urged young Nigerians to move beyond political conversations on social media and participate actively in the electoral process.
She warned that refusing to vote would leave decisions about the country’s future in the hands of others.
Acknowledging the public’s reservations about the commission, Iwenjiora said INEC understood why Nigerians were disappointed with its performance during the 2023 presidential election.
She attributed some of the challenges to heavy traffic on the commission’s website during the presidential poll, explaining that the technical difficulties were subsequently addressed ahead of the governorship elections.
“I don’t blame people because we have deficit trust because of what happened the last time. I know everybody blames INEC. It’s okay to blame us, as it were, because we promised; it looks as if we failed in our promise,” she said.
She added that although the commission had worked to resolve the technical challenges, a particular incident during the electoral process further weakened public confidence.
“But I don’t want people to lose hope,” she said, urging Nigerians, particularly young people, to remain engaged and exercise their voting rights.
The commission’s assurance comes as preparations gradually build towards the 2027 general elections, with voter education and youth participation expected to play important roles in the electoral process.
