NOA Zonal Director Hails South-West State Directors, Commends DG Over 2027 Voter Mobilisation
Daud Olatunji
The National Orientation Agency’s South-West Zonal Director, Mr Kehinde Ogunkuade, has commended the agency’s state directors across the region for their commitment, resilience, hard work and dedication to duty, praising their efforts to deepen civic awareness and mobilise Nigerians for credible and peaceful elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogunkuade also lauded the Director-General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, for initiating the agency’s nationwide voter mobilisation campaign, describing the programme as an important step towards strengthening democratic participation and addressing electoral malpractices.
The zonal director made the remarks on Monday, October 26, 2026, during an interview with some selected journalists at the agency’s zonal headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The nationwide campaign, themed “Your Vote, Your Voice, Our Future: Say No to Apathy, Vote Buying and Violence,” was recently launched by Issa-Onilu to kick-start the NOA’s voter education and mobilisation drive ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogunkuade said the initiative was designed to educate eligible voters on their rights and responsibilities, discourage vote buying and other electoral malpractices, tackle voter apathy and promote peaceful participation in the electoral process.
He explained that the campaign would require sustained grassroots engagement and collaboration among government institutions, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, market associations, artisans, youths and other community stakeholders.
Commending the state directors under his supervision, Ogunkuade said their commitment and dedication had contributed to the implementation of the agency’s programmes across the South-West.
He explained that his responsibilities included coordinating the activities of the state directorates, supervising their operations and conducting peer reviews to assess their performance and ensure that the agency’s objectives were achieved.
The zonal director said he was pleased with the work of the state directors, noting that they had been engaging relevant stakeholders and taking civic education messages to communities across their respective states.
“I am pleased with what they are doing. They are doing their work very well and are working with relevant stakeholders,” he said.
He added that the zonal office would continue to coordinate, monitor and review their activities to sustain progress and improve the effectiveness of the agency’s public enlightenment programmes.
Ogunkuade also praised the NOA Director-General for providing leadership through the nationwide mobilisation initiative, which he said would strengthen the agency’s efforts to sensitise citizens to the importance of participating in elections without selling their votes or resorting to violence.
He expressed optimism that the lessons drawn from previous off-cycle governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states would help improve preparations for future elections, stressing the importance of sustained engagement with voters and other stakeholders.
…..‘Don’t Sell Your Future’
The zonal director warned Nigerians against exchanging their votes for money, food or other material inducements, describing vote buying as a threat to citizens’ long-term interests and the quality of governance.
According to him, voters must understand that accepting inducements in exchange for their votes could undermine their ability to hold elected officials accountable.
He said the agency had been engaging community leaders and other influential stakeholders to discourage vote trading, while taking the message directly to grassroots communities.
“We have taken up the leaders and stakeholders to let them know that there is no need to sell people’s votes. After that, we are talking to the grassroots, saying, ‘Do not sell your future. Do not sell your future for a pot of food,’” he said.
Ogunkuade urged voters to resist pressure from politicians offering money or other benefits, insisting that citizens could reject such inducements and preserve their conscience.
He also called on religious leaders and traditional institutions to use their influence to promote integrity, responsible citizenship and peaceful political participation.
....Fear, Intimidation Fuel Voter Apathy
Ogunkuade identified violence, fear and intimidation as factors that could discourage eligible Nigerians from participating in elections.
He appealed to citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards and vote for candidates of their choice without fear, urging security agencies to provide an environment in which voters could exercise their constitutional rights safely.
He maintained that the security agencies had a critical role to play in preventing electoral violence, citing the experiences of the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections as reference points for discussions on peaceful electoral participation.
The zonal director urged Nigerians not to allow political differences to destroy relationships within families and communities.
He observed that people who belonged to different political parties often lived together peacefully, shared meals and maintained cordial relationships outside election periods.
He questioned why such relationships should deteriorate during elections, urging political leaders to resolve their disagreements peacefully rather than allow tensions to spread to ordinary citizens.
“Political elites should not bring their conflicts to the grassroots. They should keep their disagreements from the people and resolve them peacefully,” he said.
He also called on political parties and their supporters to reject violence, stressing that democracy belonged to all Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations.
…..NOA Strengthens Stakeholder Collaboration
Ogunkuade said the agency was working with traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders to promote peaceful coexistence, national unity and responsible citizenship.
He noted that the South-West Zonal Directorate coordinated the activities of state directors, who were responsible for implementing the agency’s programmes and engaging communities at the state level.
He also identified the Inter-Party Advisory Council and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security as important platforms for building consensus among political parties and security agencies.
According to him, the platforms enable stakeholders to discuss emerging concerns, exchange information and develop strategies for addressing potential threats to peaceful elections.
He said sustained collaboration among the NOA, political parties, security agencies and community leaders was necessary to prevent tensions from escalating into violence.
The zonal director further stressed the need for national unity, urging political leaders and citizens to place the country’s interests above personal ambitions.
He said Nigerians should speak positively about their country and support efforts to maintain peace, adding that insecurity, social division and political intolerance could undermine national development.
…..Warns Against Fake News, Drug Abuse
The NOA director also warned citizens against spreading false information, particularly on social media, saying misinformation could heighten tensions, damage reputations and attract legal consequences.
He urged Nigerians to verify information before sharing it and use digital platforms to promote personal development, responsible civic engagement and national progress.
He encouraged members of the public to follow the agency’s official social media platforms and utilise its AI CHLEEAN App to support responsible information sharing and civic participation.
Ogunkuade also expressed concern about social vices among young people, including drug abuse, noting that such problems could contribute to violence and other forms of social disorder.
He said the agency was collaborating with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the police and other security institutions to address the challenges through public enlightenment, counselling and other appropriate interventions.
He cited engagements with youth groups and community stakeholders, including activities in Ilishan-Remo, as part of efforts to promote positive behaviour and peaceful coexistence.
The zonal director called on young Nigerians to shun violence, embrace responsible conduct and contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.
Ogunkuade reaffirmed that democracy belonged to everyone, stressing that its success depended on the willingness of citizens, political leaders and public institutions to uphold their responsibilities.
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