Group targets 10 million ‘silent voters’ for 2027 polls

A civil society group, Advocacy for Integrity and Rule of Law, has launched a grassroots campaign across the 19 northern states to mobilise 10 million voters who abstained from the last general election.

The initiative aims to promote civic awareness, respect for the rule of law, and increased voter participation ahead of the 2027 polls.

The campaign was officially inaugurated during the launch of the Yobe State chapter of the organisation, where the National Chairman, Muhammad Ibrahim Gamawa, addressed attendees.

Gamawa emphasised that the initiative is designed to ‘re-Nigerianise Nigerians’ by instilling a deep respect for national values, laws, and democratic responsibilities.

He disclosed that the group is specifically targeting Nigerians who refused to vote during the last election, which recorded a mere 40 per cent voter turnout. The group is engaging directly with this silent majority in their homes to encourage them to reclaim their civic duty.

“We are going to those who didn’t vote not just to ask them to vote, but to educate them on their rights, how to make informed decisions, and to choose leaders based on ideology, not money,” Gamawa said.

As part of its broader strategy, the group has appointed state and local government coordinators in all the LGAs of Yobe State and established functional offices in 16 northern states. This grassroots approach strengthens the organisation’s capacity to drive consistent civic engagement and reach underserved communities.

Gamawa stressed that one of the key tasks for the newly inaugurated officials is to discourage vote-buying and reject financial inducement from politicians.

“Anyone who collected N1,000 or even N1 million two years ago already knows the money is gone. What is left is the broken promise and bad leadership.

We must now live by political ideology. Don’t give your vote for money; give it for policy, for vision, for something that aligns with your future,” he warned.

The group’s non-partisan approach involves evaluating political manifestos and meeting with candidates to assess their plans for governance.

Gamawa explained that the group’s duty is to look beyond the noise and identify leaders with workable plans.

“Our duty is to look beyond the noise and see who has a workable plan. We sit with these leaders and assess what they can deliver in the first 100 days. That is how we guide our members to vote consciously,” he added.

The organisation’s core message revolves around respect for the rule of law, civic responsibility, and citizen-led accountability. Gamawa emphasised that Nigerians must stop relying solely on government agencies to enforce good governance.

“Let the rule of law live in our minds, in our bodies. It’s our job as citizens to keep Nigeria together, not just the job of the government,” he said.

Gamawa warned against vote trading, describing it as an act of betrayal to the nation.