The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured residents of Kwara State that their votes will count in the 2027 general elections, pledging to conduct a credible electoral process that reflects the will of the people.

The commission also dismissed claims that politicians could influence election outcomes by stockpiling Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), insisting that such tactics are no longer effective under the current electoral system.

Speaking in Ilorin at a seminar organised by the Correspondents' Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the Head of Voter Education and Publicity, INEC Kwara State, Dr Adejumo Peter, said the commission has introduced safeguards that prevent the use of another person's PVC to cast a vote.

"INEC has done a lot so that people cannot use others' PVCs to vote in an election. That is why politicians have resorted to vote-buying. Many politicians are still living in the past, as stockpiling and carting away PVCs cannot ensure electoral victory," he said.

Dr Peter assured political parties and the electorate that INEC would strictly adhere to its guidelines in conducting the elections.

"INEC in Kwara will follow the rules and procedures laid down by the commission. We will ensure that the elections are conducted on a one-man, one-vote basis. At the end of the exercise, the outcome of the elections will reflect the will of the people," he stated.

He urged political parties and candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns and present their manifestoes to voters instead of engaging in violence or other unlawful activities.

"I urge politicians to play according to the rules. They should campaign and tell the electorate about their manifestoes. They should shun violence before, during and after the elections. Let us conduct the elections peacefully, like sport, and accept the outcome," he added.

Delivering a paper titled "Dissecting the Amended Electoral Act 2026: Innovations and Implications for Nigeria's 2027 General Elections," the Head of INEC's Legal Unit in Kwara State, Atata Abdulfatai, described the amended Electoral Act 2026 as a significant milestone in Nigeria's electoral reforms.

According to him, the new law introduces measures aimed at improving transparency, strengthening internal party democracy and expanding the use of technology in the electoral process.

He, however, noted that the Act also raises important legal and practical issues, particularly regarding constitutional consistency, campaign finance enforcement, the limitation of judicial intervention in party affairs and the grounds for election petitions.

Abdulfatai stressed that the effectiveness of the reforms would depend on proper implementation, institutional capacity and judicial interpretation ahead of the 2027 general elections.