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The off circle elections conducted last Saturday, in the FCT, Abuja; Rivers and Kano states, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recorded an abysmally low turnout, as only about seven per cent of registered voters came out to vote.
In this report, some Nigerians suggested what should be done for most Nigerians of voting age to turn out en masse to cast their votes in 2027, and in subsequent elections.
Good governance has to be assured – Ignatius Chukwu, media practitioner; Port Harcourt
The traditional problems still showed up at the last Saturday’s elections – logistics muddling, vote buying, and low turnout of voters.
There is still no connection in the minds of most voters between coming out to vote and their votes counting, and the assurance of good governance. These have to be addressed to create confidence.
Electoral institutions should deepen transparency – Obinna Ebogidi, peace advocate; Port Harcourt
The extremely low turnout recorded in the off-cycle elections is a serious warning signal for Nigeria’s democracy. When barely seven per cent of registered voters participated, the issue goes beyond logistics. It reflects declining public trust in the electoral process and in governance outcomes. Many Nigerians increasingly question whether their votes translate into accountability, improved livelihoods, or policy responsiveness.
To reverse this trend ahead of 2027, political actors must reduce inflammatory rhetoric, demonstrate issue-based campaigns, and show clear links between electoral choices and governance performance. Citizens are more likely to participate when they believe elections produce measurable change. In addition, electoral institutions must deepen transparency, consistency, and voter education. Early logistics deployment, credible results management, well-trained ad-hoc personnel, and real-time communication during technical challenges will strengthen confidence.
INEC should assure that 2027 election would be credible – David West, CLO president, Bayelsa, Lives Yenagoa
The major thing to be done is for INEC to restore the confidence of free and fair elections in the minds of Nigerians, taking into consideration what the National Assembly has just done in respect of the Electoral Act that was amended and assented to by Mr. President, particularly on the use of Clause 60, which has to do with the transmission of result.
The moment Mr. President signed the Electoral Act, Nigerians began to lose interest in the 2027 elections. This has reflected in the FCT, the Rivers and Kano states elections, by way of voters’ apathy. So, INEC has to restore that confidence that it can still conduct a free and fair election and that the votes will count in 2027. That confidence is not there.
Also, there is a need for more sensitisation for the people to know that it is their right to vote. There is a need to let the people know that, no matter the circumstances and the situation we have found ourselves with respect to our electioneering process, we do not need to be despondent or discouraged to the extent that we do not exercise our civic right.
INEC and National Orientation Agency (NOA) need to do more of sensitisation; talk more to people, and assure them that their votes would count. This needs to be done because, from my own observation, Nigerians are already losing interest in the 2027 elections.
Massive awareness and sensitization should be carried out – Lazarus Mom, rights activist; Makurdi
What we experienced in Abuja, Kano and other places where staggered elections were conducted is just a reminder of the fact that there is voter apathy across the country. This arises when people feel short-changed, when people are not seeing the dividends of what they’re expecting from government.
And of course, if you look at the level of security in Nigeria now, the hardships that people are going through; people are naturally inclined to say, even if I vote, what purpose would it serve?
So, people are actually not so excited. People are indifferent to the whole process. And it’s also a reflection of what may happen in 2027.
So it’s a wake-up call. And we thank God that it’s happening almost a year before the general elections, so that those in authority will begin to know what is likely to happen.
Again, the dominance of a single party; the one party that is dominating the whole polity is also an issue.
Between now and 2027 gives those in authority some room to make amends in terms of ensuring the security of lives of Nigerians is guaranteed. If Nigerians are seeing a decline in the level of insecurity across the country, their confidence might begin to be boosted again.
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Secondly, beyond the security, how about the issues of hardship, issues of food, issues of education, cost of living? All these need to be addressed to boost confidence in the polity.
Thirdly, they should begin to conduct a very massive awareness and sensitisation to the voting population. The onus lies on INEC, and the political parties themselves, because it doesn’t profit them if people don’t turn out. So it’s upon them now to go out and make people understand that voting is their civic responsibility.
They should make the citizens to understand that government cannot do everything in one fell swoop. So, they should also learn how to manage their expectations.
Intense sensitisation is needed – Josephine Habba, peace advocate; Makurdi
We need to intensify sensitisation for the citizens to know the need to exercise their civic duty.
There should be real time transmission of results – Bassey Bassey, public affairs analyst; Benin
There should be real time transmission of results electronically into the IRev portal. As regards the outcome of the local government elections that were recently conducted by INEC in the FCT, Abuja ,Rivers and Kano states, which recorded approximately seven per cent low turnout, it is not surprising because the electorate are fed up with the electoral umpire (INEC)’s inability to conduct free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. As a result of these aforementioned reasons, voting apathy becomes the marginal output from their lackadaisical input.
For example, INEC has not been able to explain to Nigerian from a scenario in which the number of valid votes cast would outnumber the number of accredited votes cast.
Secondly, the compromised motives of both chambers of our National Assembly to legislate and pass consensus laws of compulsory transmission of real time electoral results electronically into I-Rev portal for the general public to access will always militate against the electoral credibility for future elections in Nigeria. The National Assembly dampened the public trust by having a clause and laconic exceptions to the law.
As a matter of fact, one of the solutions against voting apathy and low turnout is for Nigerians to demand the passage into law a real time e-transmission of electoral results into I-Rev to boost the voters confidence in future elections and the umpire, INEC chairman should be nominated and funded from federation account to stop any partiality and corroborations.
Nigerian politicians should start delivering on their campaign promises – Ajele Sunday, activist; Benin
Nigerians are already wounded by our elected leaders. Let’s not pretend about it. The political hype of “talku na do” is not a demonstrative fact. It is never in reality.
The only way to get us back to the polling booths to cast our votes en-masse again is for our leaders to repent; fix an independent electoral system that we can trust and that our votes will count. Then we can all shout uhuru, and get attracted to voting.
Let our votes begin to count -Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, veteran journalist, Aba
The enthusiasm with which people used to vote in the past during elections is no longer there. Those are the days when people’s votes counted. And with that, people were encouraged to go out and vote. But it is no longer so these days.
Now, voters are disenchanted and do not care to go out to vote again during elections. Going out to vote in Nigeria is a day’s job. People will queue in the sun and in some cases, in the rain for a whole day to vote for a candidate of their choice. At the end, a different person will be announced winner. This discourages them from going out to vote again.
INEC should truly be independent -Ikechukwu Ndubueze, communication analyst; Abia
It is unfortunate that citizens of voting age in Nigeria no longer show interest in turning out to vote during elections and this I must say is not in any way good for our democracy; it is definitely going to set us back.
If we seriously want to curb this voter apathy in Nigeria, the will of the people must always be allowed to prevail; people’s votes must always count. The idea of people queuing from morning to evening to vote for candidates of their choice and at the end, candidates far different from those voted for are announced leads voters’ disenchantment. INEC should truly be independent and do the right things at all times.
