Ondo PMF targets voter apathy, sets 80 percent turnout benchmark for 2027

The Progressive Mandate Forum (PMF), a political support group sponsored by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has set an 80 per cent voter-turnout benchmark for its local government chapters in Ondo State ahead of the 2027 general elections, identifying voter apathy as a major challenge to electoral participation.

The forum said it would adopt a structured grassroots mobilisation strategy to encourage eligible voters to participate in the elections, while setting a statewide target of one million votes for President Bola Tinubu.

The chairman of the forum in Ondo State, Honourable Demola Ijabiyi, stated this in an address to the newly inaugurated local government chapters of the organisation across the state on Wednesday.

Ijabiyi said political support must translate into actual participation at the polls, directing each chapter to identify factors discouraging registered voters from voting and develop practical and lawful measures to address them.

He said the forum’s mobilisation strategy would focus on ward and polling-unit engagement, voter education, membership expansion and regular monitoring of progress.

Under the proposed framework, each local government chapter is expected to work towards an 80 per cent turnout among registered voters in its area and develop a mobilisation plan based on its registered voter population and polling-unit distribution.

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The plans must include specific targets for wards and polling units, clearly assigned responsibilities and measurable milestones for assessing progress.

The forum also directed its chapters to encourage eligible citizens to register as voters when registration is available, collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and familiarise themselves with their designated polling locations.

To coordinate the process, the organisation has provided for Local Government Overseers and Ward Overseers to monitor activities, review mobilisation plans, assess progress and report challenges to the statewide leadership.

The overseers will also guide chapter officers, support the establishment of functional ward and polling-unit structures and monitor membership growth and grassroots activities.

At the ward level, coordinators are expected to connect the forum with local communities, organise meetings, coordinate mobilisation activities and report progress and challenges through the supervisory structure.

As part of the implementation plan, ward and polling-unit meetings are expected to hold at least twice monthly, while local government chapters will meet monthly, generally on the third Wednesday.

The meetings are expected to produce practical outcomes, including membership updates, voter education activities, mobilisation plans and periodic reports on progress towards agreed targets.

The chairman said the forum’s immediate mandate was to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election and the victory of all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.