Aisha Yesufu urges Nigerians to defend their votes in 2027 and demand credible elections as she calls for stronger electoral accountability
Human rights activist Aisha Yesufu has urged Nigerians to take an active role in defending the integrity of the 2027 general elections, saying election day can provide a powerful opportunity for citizens to bring about political change through the ballot box.
Also read: Aisha Yesufu Explains Why She Rejected Reps Ticket
Speaking during an interview with Symfoni TV, Yesufu said Nigerians should not simply trust electoral institutions to deliver credible polls but must insist that officials perform their duties properly.
Her remarks come as political parties and potential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 elections.
Yesufu argued that the central challenge is not necessarily the Independent National Electoral Commission itself, but the conduct of individuals working within the electoral system.
“There is no better day for revolution than election day. I’ve always said that INEC is not the problem. The people in INEC are the problem,” she said.
She called on Nigerians to ensure that officials across the electoral chain, including those in INEC and the security agencies, respect the wishes of voters.
According to Yesufu, credible elections are essential to preventing frustration from spilling into wider civil unrest.
She said the outcome of an election must genuinely reflect the choices made by citizens at polling units.
Her comments also touched on the controversy surrounding the 2023 presidential election, particularly the differences between results from the presidential poll and those recorded in National Assembly contests.
Yesufu maintained that Nigerians should not approach the next election with the assumption that electoral institutions will automatically protect their interests.
Instead, she believes citizens must remain organised and vigilant throughout the voting and collation processes.
“Everybody must do the right thing,” she said, stressing the need for Nigerians to insist on democratic accountability rather than rely on voluntary compliance by officials.
The activist’s approach to the 2027 election is also expected to be different from her highly visible role during the 2023 presidential campaign.
Yesufu has said she intends to concentrate more on grassroots mobilisation, organising voters and protecting ballots from polling units through the collation process rather than travelling extensively with presidential candidate Peter Obi as she did in 2023.
Her latest comments come against the backdrop of her own experience with the political process within the Nigeria Democratic Congress, where she sought to play a more direct role ahead of the 2027 elections.
Yesufu initially pursued the Federal Capital Territory Senate ticket after joining the NDC. The party’s decision not to conduct a primary for the FCT senatorial seat brought that bid to an end.
She subsequently explained that she had also declined an offer to contest for the House of Representatives.
NDC figures have previously confirmed that Yesufu was offered the House of Representatives option.
National leader Seriake Dickson said he and Peter Obi had offered her the ticket, while other party officials said efforts had been made to persuade her to contest the AMAC/Bwari federal constituency instead of pursuing the Senate seat.
Yesufu has since explained that her decision was rooted in principle. She said she was unwilling to benefit from a process that could disadvantage other aspirants who had already invested in seeking the ticket.
The episode has added another dimension to her wider argument about political accountability.
Rather than treating electoral participation simply as a route to office, Yesufu has continued to emphasise the importance of citizens influencing how political power is acquired and exercised.
Her comments therefore place voter participation at the heart of the 2027 contest.
For Yesufu, the ballot is not merely a mechanism for choosing leaders but a means through which Nigerians can peacefully demand a different political direction.
Also read: Aisha Yesufu Explains Why She Rejected Reps Ticket
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace, her call for stronger citizen vigilance is likely to remain part of the broader debate over electoral credibility, institutional accountability and the ability of voters to make their choices count.
