ABUJA – A civil society organisation, Advocacy for Integrity and Rule of Law, has kicked off a massive grassroots campaign across the 19 northern states aimed at mobilising 10 million Nigerians who abstained from voting in the last general election.
The initiative, launched in Yobe State, seeks to raise civic awareness, promote adherence to the rule of law, and boost voter participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the event, National Chairman of the group, Muhammad Ibrahim Gamawa, said the campaign is focused on “re-Nigerianising” citizens by encouraging a renewed sense of national values, civic duty, and democratic engagement.
“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 stated.
He noted that the last election witnessed only about 40% voter turnout, and the campaign is specifically targeting the silent majority who stayed away from the polls.
To achieve its objectives, the organisation has appointed state and local government coordinators across Yobe and has established functional offices in 16 northern states. This structure enables sustained engagement at the grassroots level.
One of the campaign’s key goals is to tackle the culture of vote-buying. Gamawa urged citizens to reject financial inducements and instead vote based on policies and leadership vision.
“Anyone who collected N1,000 or even N1 million two years ago already knows the money is gone. What remains is the broken promise and bad leadership. We must live by political ideology,” he said.
The group maintains a non-partisan stance, evaluating political manifestos and engaging directly with candidates to assess the feasibility of their plans. According to Gamawa, the goal is to help voters identify leaders with credible, achievable agendas—particularly what they can deliver within their first 100 days in office.
Gamawa also stressed the importance of citizen-led accountability, saying good governance cannot rely solely on government institutions.
“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 added.
He warned that vote trading is a betrayal of the nation’s future and urged voters to defend democracy with their ballots, not sell it for temporary gain.
