I-Vote Movement 2027 launched in Abuja to mobilise Nigerians, especially youth and women, for people-centred leadership ahead of the 2027 elections

I-Vote Movement 2027 has officially launched in Abuja, marking a bold step towards mobilising Nigerians—especially youth and women—for transformative, people-centred leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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At the Thursday press conference, the group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Ishaya Inuwa Darkwa, declared the country’s current leadership had failed to deliver on its promises, asserting that “the Renewed Hope we were promised is now hopeless.”

Darkwa lamented the rising poverty and economic hardship experienced by Nigerians under the Tinubu-Shettima administration, which he blamed on “unplanned economic policies” that have left millions struggling.

Backing his claims with data, he decried the deepening poverty and social decay gripping the nation.

“You will agree with me that our nation is at a standstill. Nothing is working at the moment,” Darkwa said.

“A litre of petrol that cost ₦11 in 1999 now sells for over ₦700. The naira, once at ₦80 to the dollar, now hovers around ₦1,528. Inflation is soaring above 22%, with food inflation crossing 40%. Over 133 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty. These are not just numbers; they are lived traumas.”

He argued that the abrupt removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, without social protection, had resulted in school dropouts, closure of small businesses, and widespread hunger.

The I-Vote Movement, according to Darkwa, is not merely another political campaign but a national awakening intended to reclaim Nigeria’s democratic and economic future from elitist interests.

“This movement will activate all our national structures to mobilise a people-driven initiative unlike anything Nigeria has ever witnessed. It will transcend party lines, ethnic identities, and elite interests. We are building an inclusive, intergenerational coalition focused on national rebirth,” he stated.

Our future must not be built around the politics of name recognition but around the passion, competence, and sincerity of those who are ready to rebuild this nation from the ground up.

Darkwa called on young people, women, and Nigerians of conscience to rise and act, stressing that the movement would amplify grassroots leadership rather than recycled political personalities.

“Our future must not be built around the politics of name recognition but around the passion, competence, and sincerity of those who are ready to rebuild this nation from the ground up,” he added.

The movement also expressed its support for the emerging ADC Coalition but urged it to prioritise inclusion and generational equity.

Darkwa cautioned against limiting leadership to old, familiar faces, and instead called for structural reforms that empower women and youth in party organs and national governance.

“The dream of a prosperous Nigeria is not dead—it is just waiting for people like you to rise. We must refuse to be spectators in our own story. Let us link arms, lend our voices, and build a nation where our children can dream without fear,” he charged.

Also addressing the press were Comrade Ibiang Limus of the New Nigeria Initiative, Comrade Da Sam Odeli, and Prince Adebola Adekoya, founder of the defunct Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN).

They echoed the need for collective national action to rescue Nigeria from failing leadership.

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In their joint appeal, they urged Nigerians across regions, religions, and social strata to embrace the I-Vote Movement 2027 as a legitimate platform to inspire change, demanding policy accountability, grassroots participation, and justice-centred leadership.