By Samuel Sunday
Dr. Akinjide Akinleye, Chairman, AANI, Ondo/Ekiti chapter
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, electoral experts, security stakeholders and media executives have called for sustained collaboration, institutional strengthening and greater accountability among political actors to rebuild public confidence and promote peaceful, credible and transparent elections in Nigeria.
The call was made at a public discourse themed “Strengthening Democratic Institutions for Credible Elections in Nigeria: 2027 and Beyond,” organised by the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI), Ondo/Ekiti States Chapter.
The panel, which featured INEC National Commissioner, Mallam Mohammed Haruna; Executive Director of the International Press Centre (IPC), Mr. Lanre Arogundade; Assistant Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mrs. Olufunke Amos; and Ekiti State University political scientist, Dr. Mike Omilusi, outlined measures needed to rebuild public trust.
The INEC National Commissioner, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, acknowledged a decline in public confidence following the 2023 general elections, while highlighting logistical milestones, including online voter registration and the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
He said the Commission is committed to intensifying grassroots engagement with traditional institutions to accelerate the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and curb local thuggery.
Speaking on party accountability and the need to end the exploitation of youths, Mr. Arogundade challenged political parties to uphold internal democracy, respect signed peace accords and dismantle vote-buying networks that exploit poverty.
He maintained that political leaders must stop using unemployed youths as instruments for electoral violence and embrace meaningful youth inclusion.
In her submission on inter-agency security cooperation, Mrs. Amos called on security agencies to move away from counter-productive rivalry and institutionalise intelligence-sharing.
She also advocated comprehensive training on human rights and electoral duties for field operatives, as well as strict enforcement of statutory penalties for misconduct before, during and after elections.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Omilusi, said successful conduct of the 2027 polls requires deep structural reforms beyond adjustments to the election timetable.
He urged political parties to remain vigilant by deploying trained, independent agents to capture and secure results from every polling unit nationwide.
Supporting the recommendations, the Ondo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami, who is the patron of the chapter, noted that continuous system improvement remains non-negotiable for the survival of the country’s democracy.
The forum called for a structured and synchronised alliance among INEC, the judiciary, security agencies, civil society and the electorate to ensure that the will of voters is accurately reflected in future elections.
Earlier, while welcoming participants, the Chairman of the association, Ondo/Ekiti chapter, Dr. Akinjide Akinleye, mni, emphasised that the engagement was strictly non-partisan.
He said the objective was not to promote any political party or individual, but to advance peaceful, credible, inclusive and transparent elections that strengthen democracy and safeguard national unity.
He assured that the gathering would go beyond identifying challenges to developing actionable recommendations for institutional reforms.
“It is our desire that this discourse would be remembered not only for the quality of our presentations, but for its practical contributions to Nigeria’s democratic future,” he said.
