The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called on members of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), community to participate actively in the 2027 general elections by collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and coming out to vote.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ondo State, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, made the appeal during a visit to the university, where he solicited the support and collaboration of the management and members of the academic community in ensuring credible, peaceful and successful elections.
Agboke commended the involvement of academics in Nigeria’s electoral process, noting that their participation had contributed significantly to improving the credibility of elections, particularly in the area of results collation.
He said the collaboration between INEC and academic institutions had continued to attract public commendation, adding that the commission valued the contributions of university communities to the electoral process.
The REC urged members of the FUTA community who registered during the previous registration exercise to come forward and collect their PVCs, stressing that voter participation was essential to strengthening democracy.
He also encouraged lecturers and students to exercise their civic responsibilities by voting, regardless of their willingness to participate in partisan politics.
According to him, members of the academic community should not allow concerns about the political environment to discourage them from collecting their voter cards and casting their votes.
Agboke expressed confidence that effective collaboration between INEC and the university community would contribute to peaceful elections, adding that although there would be winners and losers, the process should be conducted in an atmosphere of peace and mutual understanding.
He thanked the university management for receiving the INEC delegation and assured the institution of the commission’s commitment to working with relevant stakeholders’ towards successful elections.
Responding, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for its efforts to improve the electoral process in Nigeria, describing the commission’s progress as encouraging.
She attributed Agboke’s reappointment as REC to his commitment and performance, noting that it reflected confidence in his efforts to strengthen the commission’s operations.
The Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of collaboration among government institutions, saying that effective inter-agency cooperation was essential to national development.
She noted that the education sector was among the largest in the country and would be significantly affected by the quality of leadership produced through the electoral process.
Oladiji also pledged the university’s support for INEC’s voter education and sensitisation efforts, particularly in encouraging members of the university community to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in elections.
She observed that Nigeria’s electoral process had improved over the years, recalling incidents of electoral violence in the past when houses were reportedly attacked and set ablaze over allegations of electoral malpractice.
Reflecting on her recent experience as a returning officer during an election in Ekiti State, she said she was encouraged by the improved transparency in the transmission and monitoring of election results.
Although she acknowledged that there was still room for improvement, she urged INEC to sustain its efforts towards achieving electoral excellence.
“Excellence is not a destination; we keep working towards excellence every day. Wherever you get to, there is always room for improvement,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor also commended INEC’s leadership and staff for their contributions to improving the electoral system, while pledging that FUTA would continue to provide competent personnel whenever the commission required support for election-related activities.
She assured the REC that the university would continue to sensitise its staff, heads of departments and the wider community on the importance of collecting their PVCs and participating in the electoral process
Oladiji urged Nigerians to take advantage of the opportunity provided by elections to choose their leaders, warning that those who failed to participate should not complain about the outcome of the process.
She expressed optimism that continued collaboration between FUTA and INEC would contribute to the successful conduct of future elections.
[THE HOPE]
