The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, today received the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and senior officials of the Agency on a courtesy visit at INEC Headquarters in Abuja.
The visit aimed to reinforce the longstanding partnership between INEC and NOA and deepen collaboration in voter education, civic engagement, and strategic public communication ahead of the upcoming Anambra Governorship Election and the 2027 General Elections.
Malam Issa-Onilu reaffirmed NOA’s mandate to foster national unity and development by providing Nigerians with accurate, timely information about government policies and programmes. He emphasized NOA’s role in awakening citizens’ consciousness to their responsibilities and rights in building a free, just, and progressive society.
In his remarks, Prof. Yakubu welcomed the NOA delegation and congratulated Malam Issa-Onilu on his appointment. He highlighted the importance of joint efforts in voter education and mobilisation, particularly to reach underrepresented groups such as youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
“Our mandate of conducting elections cannot be effectively discharged without advocacy and citizen sensitisation,” Yakubu stated. “NOA’s nationwide presence, digital innovations like the NOA Content Factory, and AI-powered data tools make you a critical partner in this effort.”
Prof. Yakubu also reflected on the recent passing of Hon. Ahmed Makama, Chairman of the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission, who had previously served at NOA and as a two-time INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.
The INEC Chairman expressed hope that both agencies would strengthen their collaboration through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and the revitalised National Inter-Agency Committee on Voter Education and Publicity (NICVEP).
The meeting comes at a crucial time, as INEC prepares to launch the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise on August 18, 2025, with online pre-registration, followed by in-person registration on August 25.
Prof. Yakubu reaffirmed INEC’s readiness to work closely with NOA to ensure broad public participation in the electoral process.
