The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recorded 15,777 voter transfers and 6,063 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected in Ogun State as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
Ogun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Feyijimi Saseyi Ibiyemi, disclosed the figures on Thursday during an interview on FRONTLINE, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu.
Ibiyemi said the figures reflected ongoing voter-related activities by the commission to ensure eligible citizens are properly registered and able to participate in elections from their appropriate locations.
She explained that eligible voters could also make claims, request corrections to their records and raise objections where necessary through the appropriate INEC channels.
According to her, voters who have changed their locations can apply for transfers of their registration records to polling areas that are more appropriate to their current locations, subject to electoral guidelines.
The REC urged citizens experiencing problems with their voter information to approach INEC through its official channels for corrections and clarification rather than relying on unverified information.
INEC targets inclusive participation
Ibiyemi also said INEC was taking steps to ensure that persons living with disabilities are not excluded from the 2027 electoral process.
She disclosed that the commission recently held an engagement with persons living with disabilities at its headquarters in Ogun as part of efforts to encourage them to participate in the elections.
“The Commission recently did a programme yesterday at the Commission’s headquarters with people living with disabilities. This is to encourage them to come out. They are not left out,” she said.
Ibiyemi said persons living with disabilities are legally entitled to vote and that INEC has arrangements to provide assistance and materials suited to different categories of voters.
“They will be given the opportunity to vote and the law allows them to vote. We are telling them not to stay at home. They will be attended to first and there are materials for them like people living with visual impairments, there are Braille materials for them,” she said.
She added that people living with albinism would also receive appropriate assistance, including the provision of magnifying glasses.
Traditional rulers, religious groups, others mobilised
The REC said INEC was also engaging traditional rulers, market women, religious organisations, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders to improve voter education and participation.
She said traditional rulers had been encouraged to mobilise eligible residents to vote peacefully while discouraging youths from participating in thuggery, vote buying and other electoral offences.
“We have implored them because they are fathers to talk to the citizens to come out and vote and then to talk to the citizens, our children, our youth, not to be allowed to be used for thuggery, not to allow themselves to engage in vote buying and all sorts,” Ibiyemi said.
She said INEC had received cooperation from traditional institutions, market women, religious bodies, persons living with disabilities and other groups involved in its voter education and mobilisation efforts.
The commission, she added, had also taken its mobilisation campaign to tertiary institutions and was using radio and television programmes, as well as market and road shows, to reach more residents.
INEC warns officials against malpractice
Ibiyemi further warned INEC personnel against compromising the electoral process, saying officials found engaging in irregularities or malpractice would face sanctions.
“If you are caught and you are doing any irregularity or malpractice, you will be punished,” she said.
She said the warning applied to personnel involved in various aspects of election administration, including accreditation, voting, collation and other electoral duties.
According to her, accountability among election officials remained essential to maintaining confidence in the electoral process.
Political parties under scrutiny
Beyond voter registration-related activities, Ibiyemi said INEC was monitoring political parties and their campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
She said the commission’s political party departments were responsible for monitoring campaigns and tracking party finances within the limits prescribed by law.
“Then the political party departments of the Commission is monitoring the political campaigns. Under the law we are allowed to track their finances and then monitor the campaigns in collaboration with security agencies and make our reports,” she said.
Ibiyemi said INEC had trained personnel who monitor political parties and prepare statements of accounts and other reports based on information submitted to the commission.
She added that political parties were expected to ensure that information provided to INEC complied with applicable laws and electoral guidelines.
“Whatever is disclosed to us must be within the ambit of the law. We have trained staff who monitor them and prepare their statement of accounts. So that’s as far as we can go. Once we see the statement of accounts, we raise a report on it and then clarify. If anyone contravenes our guidelines, we confront this political party. That’s what we do,” she said.
She said the commission would continue to work with security agencies in monitoring campaign activities where necessary as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections.
With voter transfers and PVC collection ongoing, INEC is continuing its voter education, stakeholder engagement and accessibility initiatives in Ogun State as preparations for the 2027 general elections advance.
