The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that every valid vote will count in the 2027 general elections, promising to conduct a credible process that reflects the will of the people.

The assurance was given on Thursday by the Head of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC Kwara State, Dr Adejumo Peter, during a seminar organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin.

Speaking at the event, Dr Peter said the electoral body would strictly follow its rules and procedures to ensure that the elections are free, fair and based on the principle of one person, one vote.

“INEC in Kwara will follow the rules and procedures as laid down by our commission. We will ensure that the elections are done 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 said.

He also dismissed the belief that collecting or hoarding Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) could influence election results, saying technological improvements had made such tactics ineffective.

“INEC has done a lot so that people cannot use another person’s PVC to vote in an election. That is why politicians have resorted to vote-buying. Many of them are still living in the past because stockpiling PVCs cannot guarantee electoral victory,” he said.

The INEC official urged political parties and candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns instead of violence.

He advised them to present their programmes to voters and allow the electorate to make informed choices.

“Political parties and their candidates should obey the rules, focus on selling their manifestoes to voters and avoid any form of violence before, during and after the elections. Elections should be conducted peacefully, and everyone should respect the outcome,” he said.

Also speaking at the seminar, the Head of INEC’s Legal Unit in Kwara State, Atata Abdulfatai, described the amended Electoral Act 2026 as a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to him, the new law introduces reforms aimed at improving transparency, promoting internal democracy within political parties, and expanding the use of technology in elections.

Nigeria Archery Federation (NAFED) director of marketing, Emmanuel Oyeleke has spoken extensively on factors and processes that can lead to the discovery of champions for the sport from every state across the country, Sports247 reports.

Oyeleke gave the expose while speaking in the wake of the country’s best-ever outing at the African Archery Championship, where the contingent won a medals’ haul of one gold, five silver and one bronze across the various events in Oran, Algeria.

While enthusing that the successful outing will inspire young talents to get involved in archery, Oyeleke added that there is a need for government backing, corporate support, philanthropic partnerships and greater investment in the sport all across Nigeria.

He revealed further that NAFED sent 18 archers to the competition, which marked the country’s largest contingent ever at the African championship, which took place from July 21st to 26th, with a total of 138 archers from 18 countries taking part under the auspices of World Archery Africa (WAAf).

Oyeleke commended all members of NAFED for their efforts and appealed to corporate organisations, commercial brands and individuals to support the national team through sponsorship, athlete development, equipment provision, travel logistics and media partnerships, as they seek to build on the outing in Oran.

“Behind every medal in Oran are thousands of young Nigerians picking up a bow for the first time. Our athletes have trained with discipline and sacrifice. What they need now is the backing of corporate Nigeria.

“The athletes have shown discipline and determination. What they now need is stronger support from the private sector and partners who can be part of a story of excellence at the very beginning of its arc.

“With the right partners, we can turn today’s headlines into ranges, coaches and champions in every state. This is how a sport is built and we’re inviting Nigeria to build it with us,” the marketing expert affirmed philosophically.

Sports247 gathered further that the team to Oran, which competed across six divisions during the competition, was led by NAFED president, Mohammed Baba Abdullahi, alongside the vice-president Augustine Obiefuna Chigbolu, with Aliyu Garga serving as coach.

Nigeria’s biggest success came in the barebow women’s team event, where Faith Adekogbe, Mandu Eteidung and Precious Fanny-Amun defeated hosts Algeria 5-3 in the final to claim the continental title, while reaching podium in both the barebow and compound categories.

The victory marked Nigeria’s first-ever team gold medal at the African Archery Championships and builds on their recent progress, after medal-winning campaigns in Pretoria (2022) and Tunisia (2023), as well as gold at the 2025 African Championship and 1st Run Archery Tournament in Côte d’Ivoire.