The Election Evidence Nigeria Project (EEP), a group of independent researchers focusing on Nigerian elections, has identified key reasons for the growing voter apathy in the country.
According to the researchers, Nigeria should be concerned about the declining voter turnout despite an increase in voter registration since 1999.
They noted that while elections have improved since 2011, voter turnout continues to decrease.
During a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Dr. Suleiman Suleiman, a member of the initiative, provided an analysis of the elections.
He acknowledged certain issues but affirmed the overall credibility of the electoral process.
Dr. Suleiman’s remarks followed the European Union Observation Mission’s report, which highlighted significant problems affecting public trust in the electoral process.
The report criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for logistical setbacks and malfunctions associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), stating that these issues undermined confidence in the electoral authority.
However, the researchers argued that the BVAS and IReV technologies worked well in three out of the four elections conducted in February and March 2023.
Dr. Suleiman emphasized that Nigeria has the worst voter turnout among the top 20 countries in Africa and the second worst in the world, which should concern all Nigerians.
The causes of voter apathy, according to the researchers, include perceived electoral quality, security concerns, electoral violence, governance issues, voter cynicism, and the broader political culture and behavior.
Despite these challenges, the Election Evidence project highlighted areas of improvement in Nigeria’s electoral process, such as the diversity of winners in the National Assembly and the defeat of many prominent politicians.
The project also referenced varied outcomes in off-cycle gubernatorial elections, where winners emerged from different party lines.
The 2023 general election saw diverse representation, with five political parties winning governorships, seven securing senatorial seats, eight gaining representation in the House of Representatives, and nine in State Houses of Assembly.
Notable political figures who lost their seats in the 2023 election included Kabiru Gaya of Kano South, Ben Ayade, former governor of Cross Rivers State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Governor of Enugu State, Ndudi Elumelu, former House of Representatives Minority Leader, and former Governor Darius Ishaku of the PDP, among others.
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