The Executive Director of the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV), Comrade Gbenga Soloki, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that the 2027 general elections are free, fair and credible.
Soloki made the call on Saturday in Lagos while addressing journalists on the state of the nation and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He said Nigeria’s democracy could only be sustained and strengthened if the will of the people was allowed to prevail through a transparent, inclusive and credible electoral process.
“We want free, fair and credible elections in 2027. Nigerians are tired of electoral manipulations, vote buying, voter intimidation and brazen rigging that undermine the true choice of the people. INEC must rise to the occasion and redeem its image,” Soloki said.
The CAIDOV boss said the 2027 elections must mark a departure from the flaws that marred previous polls, stressing that the electoral umpire must demonstrate absolute independence, impartiality and professionalism.
He urged INEC to ensure early deployment of electoral materials, effective functioning of the BVAS and IReV technologies, timely transmission of results and adequate training of ad-hoc staff to prevent the hitches that have often characterised Nigerian elections.
Soloki also called on security agencies to remain neutral and provide adequate protection for voters, election officials and electoral materials before, during and after the polls.
He warned that security operatives must not be used as tools to harass or intimidate opposition parties and voters.
The CAIDOV executive director further appealed to political parties and their candidates to play by the rules, shun violence, hate speech and vote buying, and focus on issue-based campaigns capable of addressing the pressing challenges facing Nigerians.
“Nigerians deserve leaders who emerge through credible processes. We must discourage vote buying because it mortgages the future of our nation. Electorates must also resist inducement and vote their conscience,” he added.
Soloki assured that CAIDOV, as a human rights and pro-democracy organisation, would be fully involved in voter education, election observation and advocacy for electoral justice across the country ahead of the 2027 elections.
He urged Nigerian youths, women and other eligible voters to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ready and participate actively in the electoral process, noting that democracy thrives when citizens participate.
