Nigeria’s largest northern youth coalition has thrown its support behind the country’s electoral chief, calling for an end to what it describes as “politically motivated attacks” ahead of the 2027 general election. The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), which claims to represent up to three million young people, praised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday. The endorsement comes at a crucial time as Nigeria gears up for its next major democratic test.
Prof. Amupitan confirmed that the presidential and national assembly elections are scheduled for 15 January 2027, followed by governorship polls on 6 February 2027.” An independent electoral body must be judged on facts and evidence, not propaganda,” said Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu, the AYF’s Board of Trustees Chairman. He added that the group’s own tours across northern Nigeria revealed that public confidence was being undermined by “orchestrated misinformation rather than genuine operational failures.”The youth group specifically highlighted the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) technology as a vital tool in eliminating electoral fraud. Responding to the praise, Prof. Amupitan admitted that positive assessments of the commission’s work were rare in the current media environment.”Nigeria has the largest democracy in Africa,” the INEC chief said. “For it to be well with Africa, Nigeria must get it right.” He pointed to recent state elections, such as the one in Ekiti, as proof that logistics and early deployment of voting materials are steadily improving.
To formalise their support, the AYF has proposed a grassroots partnership with INEC. The plan includes launching an anti-vote-buying and voter education campaign across the north, alongside deploying field coordinators to provide polling unit data directly to the commission. Prof. Amupitan has welcomed the proposal, directing election officials to establish a formal liaison with the youth group to boost grassroots outreach.
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