Yiaga Africa said 84 per cent of Nigerians intend to vote during the 2027 general elections, urging political parties to mobilise citizens to ensure they vote in spite of insecurity, distrust and vote buying threat to turnout.

Yiaga Africa Board Chairman, Hussein Abdul said this on Wednesday while unveiling its third National Voting Intentions Survey, based on interviews with 2,470 Nigerians across 36 states and FCT.

He said, Yiaga’s third voters’ intention study examines Nigerians’ readiness, motivations and expectations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abdul said insecurity, fears of election-related violence and low confidence in INEC, judiciary and security agencies could influence citizens’ decisions to vote.

He said the findings were not verdicts, but wake-up calls requiring INEC, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to address identified concerns.

Abdul urged political parties to mobilise voters and strengthen civic education, saying low turnout undermines democracy in spite of more than 100 million registered voters.

The findings showed that 61 per cent of the respondents’ feared violence could prevent them from voting, rising to 78 per cent in the North-East, while 83 per cent wanted improved security.

The survey showed declining trust in INEC, with only 34 per cent confident of credible elections, while 63 per cent had little or no confidence in judicial resolution of electoral disputes.

It said 54 per cent disapproved of the President’s performance, while 71 per cent rated the economy poorly, with 49 per cent seeking leadership change as a voting motivation.

The report urged government and security agencies to strengthen election security, while INEC, judiciary, parties, media and civil society should improve credibility, voter confidence and combat vote buying.

Speaking on the report, Safiya Bichi, Head, Knowledge Management and Learning, Yiaga Africa, said: “Nigerians have not given up on democracy, but wanted votes to count.

Bichi said they see elections as their duty and they believe their votes can make a difference.

“What stands between that willingness and the ballot box is fear, distrust and money.

“Low turnout in Nigeria is a conversion problem, not an apathy problem and the responsibility for fixing it lies with the institutions and actors who control security, credibility and logistics.” Bichi said.

In a panel discussion featured at the launch, Ene Obi, Executive Director, Ene Obi Centre for Development said Nigeria would get it right and there would be more confidence if citizens vote and guard their votes.

The panel discussion was focused on ‘Intensions, Commitments and Pathways to Increasing Turnout’.

“We need to encourage citizens to go out and vote because this is their country, for civil society we are not worried about who wins but about the process, because the process must be fair and transparent.

“We must also take cognisance of those in the IDP camps and the areas they call ungovernable.”

Also speaking at the panel discussion, Chief Ezenwa Nwagwu, Executive Director Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA), called on the media to highlight the positive side of the report of 84 per cent willing to vote.

He also called for investment in political reforms and not only electoral reforms, adding that the values and attitudes of politicians also affect election integrity.

Speaking on behalf of INEC, Victoria Efa-Mesi, Director Voter Education and Publicity called on Nigerians to do the right thing at all times, affirming that INEC was prepared for the 2027 elections.(NAN)

From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

As preparations intensify for the 2026 edition of the Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Forum, slated for November 30 – December 3, 2026, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and its partner, DMG Events, have strengthened their long-standing collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government, to ensure the seamless hosting of the flagship industry gathering.

This commitment was underscored on Tuesday during a strategic engagement between officials of NCDMB and DMG Events with the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Dr.

The meeting was convened to appreciate the State Government for its close partnership in convening the PNC over the past 15 years and to solicit continued assistance for the 15th edition, which will be held at the NCDMB Conference Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Leading the delegation to the meeting, General Manager, Corporate Communications Division, NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, highlighted the economic impact of the PNC Forum, as well as other NCDMB’s activities and programmes in Bayelsa State.

He conveyed the appreciation of the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe to the Bayelsa State Government for its significant contributions to the PNC, particularly in hosting the opening banquet and supporting the Youth PNC segment, which exposes young persons in the Niger Delta region to emerging opportunities in the oil and gas industry and core competencies for successful careers in other key sectors of the economy.

Dr. Ezeobi also alluded to new initiatives introduced for the 2026 PNC Forum, designed to invigorate the conference and enhance value for participants, while Senior Manager, Zonal Coordination, NCDMB, Mr. Adebayo Joseph, spoke on plans for the Youth PNC.

Leader of the DMG team, Olamide Oloko, outlined the main PNC programme and the new ideas such as the Local Content Roundtable for November 30 and the two day programme for Local Community Contractors (LCCs), to help scale their operations. Other innovative initiatives at this year’s PNC include the breakout session, designed to gather stakeholders’ perspectives that will shape the trajectory of Nigerian Content over the next decade, and the Townhall Session with key industry leaders, including the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, the Group CEO of NNPC Ltd, the Chief Executive of NUPRC, the Chairman of OPTS, and the Chairman of PETAN.

In his response, Deputy Governor Akpe pledged Bayelsa State’s continued collaboration, assuring delegates of adequate security and reaffirming the State’s tradition of hosting the gala dinner and actively participating in the main conference as well as the Youth PNC. He commended NCDMB for integrating some participants from the 2025 edition of the Youth PNC into its capacity building programmes, and demanded for increased participation of senior oil and gas industry officials in the welcome gala dinner.

The Practical Nigerian Content Forum, hosted annually by NCDMB and DMG Events, serves as a strategic platform to review and track local content implementation and chart new directions for investment and growth in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The 2026 edition is expected to deepen collaboration, strengthen local participation, and enhance value retention across the sector.

By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The Presidency has said the growing number of governors backing President Bola Tinubu has strengthened his political base ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, stated this while appearing on a television programme, arguing that the political landscape had changed significantly since the 2023 election.

Bwala said the support of governors was significant because they control political structures and grassroots networks in their respective states, which could be mobilised for Tinubu’s re-election.

“Since then, President Bola Tinubu has got how many governors on his side? The governors are the Chief Executive Officers of their respective states. They coordinate the structures of the state.

“These people say, ‘We are putting our goodwill, our resources, our structure, and our support to the President,’” he said.

Bwala also cited beneficiaries of government programmes as another factor strengthening Tinubu’s political position.

He listed the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), agricultural interventions, manufacturing incentives, CrediCorp and infrastructure projects among initiatives he said were benefiting Nigerians.

According to him, the programmes provide “facts, verifiable data” showing progress under the Tinubu administration since 2023.

He rejected suggestions that the administration’s confidence ahead of 2027 was based solely on divisions within the opposition, saying Tinubu’s record in office would also feature prominently in the campaign.

Bwala also challenged claims that Nigerians were dissatisfied with the President, saying such assessments should be backed by representative opinion polls.

“When you make a claim that Nigerians don’t like him, without saying, also, that there are a lot of people, one million families that the children have benefited from NELFUND, you think they hate him?” he asked.

On poverty and hunger, Bwala acknowledged that more Nigerians had fallen into poverty but attributed part of the hardship to the economic reforms introduced by the administration.

“More people went down to poverty, I acknowledge, I’m not doubting it. But there’s a but to it. Since when the reform started to today, we have made marked progress,” he said.

He maintained that the reforms were necessary to address longstanding economic challenges despite the short-term hardship experienced by many Nigerians.

Bwala also defended President Tinubu’s statement that Nigeria had moved from the “doldrums” towards prosperity, saying the President was referring to benefits already reaching citizens through government programmes and projects.

He cited NELFUND, subsidised healthcare, infrastructure development and support for small and medium-sized businesses as examples of such benefits.

“One million families whose children have benefited from the NELFUND programme, what they are benefiting is called prosperity,” he said.

Bwala further claimed that opposition figures had lost several influential allies who played key roles in the 2023 presidential campaigns.

He said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar no longer enjoyed the support of governors who backed him in 2023, while Peter Obi had also lost some of his major political allies.

“In terms of the other candidates who say he will not win, Atiku Abubakar lost close to 25 per cent of key people that you know around him. All the governors that worked for him that time are no longer with him,” Bwala said.

“Peter Obi lost 55 per cent of the critical people that carried his campaign; they’ve all disappeared. And some of them went to Atiku, some of them went wherever they could go to.”

Bwala expressed confidence in Tinubu’s chances in 2027, arguing that the political support around the President was now significantly stronger than before the 2023 election.

His comments come amid continued political realignments and coalition efforts by opposition figures seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 polls.