AResourceGuideforStateCoordinators,CellCoordinators, WorkingCommitteesandMembersofActivistaNigeria
2026GeneralElectionsCivicEngagementSeries
PublishedbyActivistaNigeria|ActionAidInternational January2026|Version1.0
ThistoolkitbelongstoeverymemberofActivistaNigeria—fromthecomraderunningacellinauniversity campusinBenue,totheStateCoordinatormobilisingnetworksinLagos,totheWorkingCommitteemember designingacampaignfromMaiduguri.Itwasbuiltforyou,withyouinmind.
Nigeriaisapproachingoneofthemostconsequentialelectoralmomentsinrecenthistory.Thedecisions madeattheballotboxwillshapegovernance,publicaccountability,andthefutureofourcommunitiesfor yearstocome.ActivistaNigeriabelievesthatinformedcitizensarethefoundationofgenuinedemocracy— andthatyoungpeoplemustbeatthecentreofthatprocess,notonthemargins.
ThisDigitalToolkitisourcontributiontothateffort.Itgivesyouthelanguage,theframeworks,thecontent templates,andthefacilitationguidestocarryciviceducationtowhereveryouare—withoutwaitingfor instructionsfromabove.Useit.Adaptit.Shareit.Ownit.
Wedonotmobiliseforpoliticians.Wemobiliseforpeople.
Insolidarity, ActivistaNigeriaNationalCoordinationTeam 2026
WhatIsThisToolkit?
TheCivicEducationandVoterEducationDigitalToolkitisapractical,movement-centredresourcedeveloped byActivistaNigeriatosupportgrassrootscivicengagementaheadofNigeria'supcominggeneralelections.It isdesignedtobeusedindependentlybymembersateveryleveloftheActivistaNigeriastructure—from individualcellmemberstoStateandNationalCoordinators.
Thetoolkitprovidesready-to-usecontent,facilitationguides,campaigntemplates,andmessagingframeworks thatanymembercandeploywithintheircommunity,campus,ordigitalspace.Itisnotapolicydocument.Itis atoolforaction.
WhoIsItFor?
StateCoordinators: Toguidestate-levelciviccampaignsandcoordinatemessagingacross cells.
CellCoordinators: Torunstructuredciviceducationsessionsandmobilisememberslocally.
National&StateWorkingCommittees: Toprovideoversight,trackengagement,andamplify campaigns.
GeneralMembers: Toeducatethemselvesandcarryciviceducationintotheirimmediate communities.
• UnderstandingcivicrightsandresponsibilitiesasaNigerianvoter
• Howtheelectoralprocessworks—INEC,voterregistration,PVC,andelectiondayprocedures
• Howtoidentifyandresistvote-buyingandelectoralmanipulation
• Socialmediacampaigntemplatesforciviceducationadvocacy
• Facilitationguidesforcommunityciviceducationsessions
• Reportinganddocumentationtemplates
• KeymessaginginbothEnglishandNigerianPidgin
WhatDoesItMeantoBeaCitizen?
Citizenshipisnotjustalegalstatus.Itisanactiverelationshipbetweenapersonandtheirsociety—onethat comeswithbothrightsandresponsibilities.AsyoungNigerians,wearenotpassiverecipientsofgovernance. Wearestakeholdersineverydecisionmadeinourname.
RighttoVote
RighttoStandforElection
RighttoInformation
RighttoPeacefulAssembly
RighttoHoldGovernment Accountable
EveryNigeriancitizenaged18andabovewhoisregisteredhasthe righttovoteinfederal,state,andlocalgovernmentelections.
Youhavetherighttocontestforpublicofficeifyoumeet constitutionalrequirements.
Youhavetherighttoaccessinformationabouthowgovernment andpublicinstitutionsoperate.
Youcanorganise,protest,andparticipateinciviclifewithoutfear, withinlegallimits.
Youcandemandtransparency,questionpublicofficials,and challengedecisionsthataffectyourcommunity.
YourResponsibilitiesasaCitizen
• RegistertovoteandcollectyourPermanentVoterCard(PVC)
• Votebasedonissues,policies,andtrackrecords—nottriballoyalty,religioussentiment,orcash
• Educateyourpeers,familymembers,andcommunityaboutcivicparticipation
• Reportelectoralirregularitiesthroughappropriatechannels
• Holdelectedofficialsaccountableafterelections—notonlyduringcampaignseason
INEC(IndependentNationalElectoralCommission): Thebodyresponsiblefororganising,undertakingand supervisingallelectionsinNigeria.INECmanagesvoterregistration,accreditation,resultcollation,and declaration.
SIEC(StateIndependentElectoralCommission): Handleselectionsatthelocalgovernmentlevelwithin eachstate.
PoliticalParties: Registeredorganisationsthroughwhichcandidatescontestelections.Asof2026,over18 partiesareregisteredwithINEC.
1. VoterRegistration—CitizensregisterwithINECandreceiveaPermanentVoterCard(PVC). Registrationiscontinuousbuthasperiodicdeadlinesbeforeelections.
2. PartyPrimaries—Politicalpartiesconductinternalelectionstoselecttheircandidates.Thisiswhere partymembershaveinfluenceoverwhorepresentsthem.
3. CampaignPeriod—Candidatescampaignpublicly.Citizensshouldlistencriticallyanddemandpolicy positions,notjustpromises.
4. ElectionDay—RegisteredvoterswiththeirPVCvisittheirpollingunittovote.BVAS(BimodalVoter AccreditationSystem)isusedforaccreditation.
5. ResultsCollation—Resultsarecountedatpollingunitlevel,thenmovedtoward,localgovernment, state,andnationalcollationcentres.
6. Declaration&Disputes—INECdeclareswinners.Candidateswhodisagreewithresultscanchallenge themattheElectionTribunal.
toanyone—notapartyagent,acommunityleader,orafamilymemberactingonyourbehalf.
Votebuyingoccurswhenacandidate,party,ortheiragentsoffercash,food,gifts,orothermaterial inducementstovotersinexchangefortheirvotes.ItisbothillegalunderNigerianelectorallawanddeeply corrosivetodemocracy.
Votebuyingdoesnotonlyhappenonelectionday.Itcantaketheformofcommunity'empowerment'events daysbeforevoting,directcashtransferstoindividualsorgroups,orpromisesofcontractsandappointments inexchangeforsupport.
• Unsolicitedcashtransfersorgiftdistributionbycampaignteamsinthedaysbeforeanelection
• Agentsofferingto'buy'yourPVCoraskingtoseeyourballotpaper
• Communityleadersbeingpaidto'deliver'votesfromtheirconstituency
• Votersbeingtransportedingroupstopollingunitswithcashincentives
• Refusetheinducement.Takenothingthatcomeswithaconditionattachedtoyourvote.
• Documentandreport.Useyourphonetorecordevidence(withoutendangeringyourself)andreportto INEC,civilsocietyobservers,ortrustedjournalists.
• Talktoyourcommunity.Collectiveawarenessisthestrongestdeterrenttovote-buying.Ifeveryonein yourcommunityhasdecidedtheywillnotselltheirvote,themarketdisappears.
• ContactthePoliceorICPC.Electoraloffencesarecriminal.TheIndependentCorruptPractices Commissionhasjurisdictionoverelectoralcorruption.
MESSAGINGFORYOURCOMMUNITY:'Ourvoteisnotforsale.Ourfutureisnotatransaction. Whatevertheygiveyoutoday,youwillpaybackforfouryears.Voteyourconscience.'
Thefollowingareready-to-usecaptiontemplatesforWhatsApp,Instagram,X(formerlyTwitter),and Facebook.Adaptthemfreelytoyourlocalcontext.AlltemplatesareavailableinEnglishandNigerianPidgin.
English: Yourvoteisyourvoice—butonlyifyou'reregistered.Ifyou're18+andyoudon'thave yourPVCyet,visitthenearestINECofficetoday.Registrationisfree.Democracybelongsto thosewhoshowup.#ActivistaNigeria#YourVoteYourPower#NigeriaDecides
Pidgin: Youwantalksaygovernmentnodeywork?Startfromhere—goregisteryourvote.If younogetPVC,yourvoicenocountforthiselection.Nafreething.JustgoINECofficenearyou. #ActivistaNigeria#YourVoteYourPower
English: TheywillofferyouN5,000today.Forthenextfouryears,youwillpayitbackthrough badroads,brokenhospitals,emptyschools,andzeroaccountability.Yourvoteisworthmore thanthat.Don'tsellit.#VoteWithYourConscience#ActivistaNigeria
Pidgin: Demgogiveyou5know.Butforfouryears,yougosuffer.Nolight,noroad,nohospital. Nayourvotedembuytocollecteverything.Holdyourvote.#ActivistaNigeria #YourVoteNoBeForSale
English: Todayistheday.CarryyourPVC.Gotoyourpollingunitearly.Voteyourconscience. Staycalm.Protectyourvote.Yourpresencematters.#ElectionDay#ActivistaNigeria #NigeriaDecides
Pidgin: Todaynatheday.CarryyourPVCgopollingunitearly.Votewhoyoubelieve.Nosell, noexchange.Yourvotegocount.#ActivistaNigeria#NigeriaDecides
ThisguideisforCellCoordinatorsandmembersrunningciviceducationsessionsintheircommunities, campuses,orneighbourhoods.Sessionscanbeheldinpersonorvirtually.Nopriorfacilitationexperienceis required.
SessionOverview
Duration 60to90minutes
IdealGroupSize 10to30participants
SpaceRequired Anyopen,comfortablespace—classroom,communityhall, WhatsAppgroup,orZoom
MaterialsNeeded Printedhandouts(optional),phoneorlaptop,thistoolkit
Language English,Pidgin,orlocallanguageasappropriateforyouraudience
Step1—Opening(10mins): Welcomeparticipants.IntroduceyourselfandActivistaNigeriabriefly.Ask participantswhattheyalreadyknowaboutelectionsandvoting.Letpeoplespeak—thisisnotalecture,itisa conversation.
Step2—CivicRights&Responsibilities(20mins): WalkthroughSection2ofthistoolkit.Usesimple language.Askparticipants:Doyouknowyourrightsasavoter?Haveyoueverfeltlikeyourvotedoesn't count?Why?
Step3—TheElectoralProcess(15mins): Explainthestepsfromregistrationtoresultdeclarationusing Section3.EmphasisetheimportanceofthePVCandBVASaccreditation.Answerquestionshonestly—itis okaytosay'Idon'tknow,let'sfindouttogether.'
Step4—VoteBuyingDiscussion(15mins): OpenafrankconversationaboutvotebuyingusingSection4. Ask:Hasanyoneinthisroomseenvotebuyinghappen?Whatdiditlooklike?Whatstoppedyouorsomeone youknowfromrefusing?
Step5—Commitment&Action(10mins): Askeachparticipanttocommittooneaction:registering, encouragingoneotherpersontoregister,sharingonesocialmediapost,orattendinganelectionobservation training.Documentcommitments.
Step6—Close(5mins): ShareActivistaNigeria'scontactandsocialmediahandles.Thankparticipants. Takeagroupphotographifconsentisgiven.
FACILITATORTIP:Avoidtalkingatpeople.Themosteffectiveciviceducationsessionsfeellike conversations,notclassrooms.Yourjobistosparkthinking,nottodeliverinformation.
Aftereveryciviceducationactivity,CellCoordinatorsandStateCoordinatorsarerequiredtocompleteand submitthisreportingtemplatetotheNationalCoordinator.ConsistentdocumentationbuildsActivistaNigeria's evidencebaseandstrengthensfutureadvocacy.
NameofCoordinator
State/Cell
ActivityTitle
DateofActivity
Location/Platform
NumberofParticipants
GenderBreakdown(M/F/Other)
KeyTopicsDiscussed
ChallengesEncountered
Participants'KeyQuestionsor Concerns
ActionsCommittedtobyParticipants
Follow-UpRequired
SubmittedBy
DateofSubmission
INEC(VoterRegistration&Enquiries) www.inec.gov.ng|08009096939
ICPC(ReportingElectoral Corruption) www.icpc.gov.ng
ActionAidNigeria www.actionaidnigeria.org
ActivistaNigeria(SocialMedia) @ActivistaNigeriaonInstagram,X,andFacebook
YiagaAfrica(ElectionObservation) www.yiaga.org
CLEENFoundation(Security& ElectoralViolence) www.cleen.org
RecommendedReading
• INECVoterEducationManual—availableatINECofficesandontheirwebsite
• ActionAidNigeria:CitizensandtheElectoralProcess—policybrief
• YiagaAfrica:WatchingtheVote—citizenobserverguide
Thistoolkitisalivingdocument.Itwillbeupdatedastheelectoralcontextevolves. DistributefreelywithintheActivistaNigerianetworkandbeyond. InSolidarity.|ActivistaNigeria|2026