Resist Politicians Plot To Deepen Voter Apathy, Electorate Urged

Citizens are being urged to protect their democratic rights by participating in elections.

LAGOS – Liborous Oshoma, a lawyer and an advo­cate of good governance; Samson Itodo, Executive Director, Yiaga Africa; Engr. Martin Onovo, a former presidential can­didate, and Justice Uhuegbu, National President, Association for Good Gover­nance, have urged Nigerian voters to participate in the forthcoming 2027 gen­eral elections, charging them not to be discouraged by the actions of politicians who ordinarily won’t want them to take part in the process.

They spoke in reaction to reports about increasing voter apathy occasioned by the actions of politicians and some other stakeholders in the electoral process.

Oshoma said that power is not given a la carte and so the electorate must ignore the actions of politicians and exercise their civic right by actively participating in the election.

He said, “I expect that politi­cians are going to frustrate the process, ensure that the people lose interest. Yesterday, I was talking about the fundamental objectives and directive princi­ples of state policies. And this is what every citizen should know. What the government owes you and what you owe to yourself. If we believe that we want to have a change, it’s not going to be a tea party. People against all odds will need to fight for it. Some of us will have to join political parties. I’m a member of this movement, but I’m not a member of the political party. Movements don’t produce candidates. It’s members of the party that produce candidates. So if you’re a member of a move­ment and you’re not a member of the party, it’s what the party gives you that you can elect on election day.

“I’ve always told people, for those that can, look at the people that join political parties in Ni­geria, for example. Those ones we call the dregs of the earth, ‘okada’ riders and the rest, are the same people that tomorrow they’ll say he has been loyal to the party. Then they’ll compensate him with councillor-ship. From councillor-ship, they’ve tested power, they now want to go to the House of Assembly. From there, he became a member of the House of Representatives. So, you expect him to get there and now encourage you to par­ticipate in the process. Certainly what they do is to discourage you, buy voter’s cards, and ensure that they make the process look tough. And they’ll tell you it’s not for the faint-hearted.

“The politicians’ intent is to frustrate you. Refuse to be frus­trated. Resist any attempt to frustrate the process. That’s why I take my time to always try and ex­plain, even in Pidgin English, the best way they can understand.

“So if you think that politi­cians are going to make it easy for you to participate, you just want the status quo to be maintained.”

Samson Itodo expressed displeasure about voter apathy, stressing that politicians are now using consensus to further deepen voter apathy.

He urged the electorate to come out en masse to vote during elections so as to frustrate politi­cians who want to manipulate the process.

He said, “I’m not sure there will be higher turnout in the 2027 election. The only way we can have improved voter turnout is if the stakeholders in the electoral process do the needful– the INEC, security agencies, the political parties imbibe the principle of transparency.

“This whole issue of candi­date imposition masquerading as consensus will further deepen voter apathy because people won’t be given the choices that will in­spire them to come out to cast their votes. The issue about secu­rity is also one biggest concern. There are plethora of issues, but my call to voters is regardless of what you see happening in the political space, not showing up at the next election is the greatest disservice to the nation and it won’t solve the problem.

“So, staying back won’t solve the problem. In any case the pol­iticians don’t want you to vote because the fewer the voters the easier it is to manipulate electoral outcomes. When you show up in your large numbers, protecting your mandate at your polling stations, you make it difficult for election riggers to have their way on the day of the election. But sit­ting back and not showing up to vote will continue to throw up irresponsible people as leaders.”

On his part, Engr. Martin Onovo noted that it’s high time Nigerians stood up and fought for their rights if they actually want to change the status quo, by par­ticipating in elections.

He said, “Nigerians are so self­ish to themselves that they can­not defend their own self-interest. They’re waiting for another per­son to come and help them defend their own self-interest. Everyday you’re looking for urgent N2,000, you can’t stand up for yourself. You’re looking for transport mon­ey, you can’t stand up for yourself. The workers are earning N70,000 minimum wage, they can’t stand up for themselves. They’re look­ing for civil society organisations to stand up for them. It’s difficult but we can’t surrender.

“I’m a Nigerian, God made me a Nigerian. It’s my respon­sibility to help Nigeria to move forward. It’s in the interest of the opposition if voters turn out. We have to make the people come out and vote because when you know the problem the solution is around the corner. The problem is that our votes don’t count, why should we come out? We need to tell them that there’s superior thinking because this one day will cost you four years. Why not try not only to vote but also de­fend your vote, so that your vote will count because the problem has been that your votes have not been counting, which is true.

“Go the extra mile to let you vote count. I had the result of my polling unit in 2023, if other voters had theirs then we would have all the polling units results. If all of us vote and defend our votes, not with a gun and dagger. The rule says the result will be pasted. If it’s pasted, you can snap it. Everybody can at least have the result of his polling unit. If you have it then you have the result of the whole country. INEC won’t announce anything contrary. Some people will say, oh you voted 2023 and won, how far with your victory? Some people will say it is a waste of time. You don’t only vote, you have to make your vote count by defending your vote. How many thugs do they have? May be 20 and you have over 500 people in a polling unit. It’s when the people surrender that they have victory. If you don’t vote you’re voting for the ruling par­ty and INEC because they are the ones who will benefit. You voted in 2023 it didn’t work because you didn’t defend your vote.”

Justice Uhuegbu stated that the action of the electoral umpire is one of the fac­tors that discourages voters from participating during election. He, however, noted that not partici­pating will make matters worse.

He said, “It’s unfortunate what we’re experiencing in Ni­geria. It’s making the electorate not have the enthusiasm or the courage to even come out to say they’re voting. As I speak to you, Nigerians don’t even have con­fidence in the electoral umpire. Look at the INEC chairman who is a SAN. We thought that Nigeria would get it better. But unfortu­nately, we’re even witnessing more issues and problems under his watch. They haven’t conduct­ed elections and all these things are happening.

“For example, look at what’s happened to ADC and all the rest. The recent one which broke the camel’s back is the issue of SDP. The matter even went to the Su­preme Court and the Supreme Court said that no court should interfere in a party’s internal affairs. A former national chair­man of the party was suspended. They followed the due process of the party constitution and everything. All of a sudden, just a few days before their national convention, INEC removed the name of the current chairman, Professor Sadiq, and now put the name of the chairman that has been expelled from the party.”

Uhuegbu, who is the Na­tional Convener, Youth Arise Vanguards Africa, urged the electorate not to be discouraged by the actions of some of the stakeholders but to ensure they exercise their civic rights by par­ticipating in elections.

“We’ll keep encouraging the masses, the electorate to still come out en masse to vote, irre­spective of what is happening. It’s their civic right to participate.”