Following INEC’s conduct of FCT Area Council election over the weekend, conscientious citizens flooded the Facebook timeline of veteran journalist, Augustine Okhiria Agbonsuremi after he lamented that “a seven percent turnout in the Abuja Municipal Area Council elections should worry everyone.”
While admitting that the restrictions on movement in the Federal Capital Territory played a role in FCT residents’ absence from the polling units, Agbonsuremi – an advocate of good governance – observed that there is a generally low enthusiasm among Nigerians to leave what they are doing to go and vote, regretting that the government and the political class have not helped to reduce this apathy.
Given his journalism and civil society background, Agbonsuremi parades friends on Facebook who are knowledgeable about Nigeria’s political culture and trajectory. Out of 64 responses that trailed his social media post as of press time, Attractions Media curated the following comments, particularly regarding the journalist’s assertion that “It seems citizens have lost interest completely.”
Pius Mordi: “That is the script. When most voters are no longer excited about going to the polls, the few who turn up will deliver the government.”
Ifeoha Azikiwe: “Not only lost hope, it is total loss of confidence, with the desperation to return APC to power by hook or crook. Why waste your time when your vote will not count.”
Sule Abu: “To waste my time to vote when I saw clearly how the ruling party , APC, were agitating against electronic transmission of results?”
Alex Orukpe: “Because we talk too much instead of acting. We leave things we are suppose to do for God. Much more serious people wins. No one should mention rigging here. Wike worked. Personally no one can defeat Tinubu among those showing interest in presidency.”
Muyiwa Akintunde: “According to INEC’s latest report on Saturday’s FCT elections, 9.4% of registered voters turn up in the 2022 election as against 15% this time.
If we interrogate voter turnout across the country for local government elections, there is likely not to be a significant difference.
As I said earlier, the problem of voter aparty lies more with the people’s disconnect from that level of government more than any other factor. We, the electorate have ignored the most important arm of government.”
Agada Wilson Agaba: “The minister announced a curfew from 8 PM the day before elections until 6 PM on election day. This prevented many people from driving to their polling units. I believe it was intentional.”
Anthony Onwuemena: “Yes, they have. In Nigeria, what we have is selection and not election.”
Johnbull Adaghe: “Of course citizens should lose interest having lost interest in the Electoral processes and judicial authorization of manipulation of electoral outcomes. Even the utterances and conducts of the fct minister are sufficient to inform the people that their vote would not count and therefore needless to come out and vote.”
Emman Ozoemana: “Oga Augustine Okhiria Agbonsuremi The low turn out is as a result of the ill advised curfew that was imposed on the FCT. In the history of elections in the FCT under the fourth republic begining from December 1998 till the last Area councils residents are allowed freely to go out and vote. Voters whose polling are located across the road where their houses were prevented from go over to and cast their vote.
Modestus Chukwulaka shared his experience on his profile. There were also reports of relocation of polling units with voters being informed late by INEC. Voters were willing and ready to vote but for these ill-advised policy on the election day.
Some think these policies may be a form of Jerrymandering to prevent voters from exercising their civic responsibility. I hope this policy will be jetission in future elections in FCT as elections become hollow exercise without voters participation.”
Matthew Osilamah: “Nigerians are no longer interested In Nigeria polity.”
Uzukwu Patrick Eze wrote: “By our electoral architecture voting in Nigeria is not compulsory. Historically and analytically local or council elections attracts very low voters turnout. This is nothing new and nothing to whine about. Furthermore when all you do in the opposition is to vociferously de-market INEC and claim before elections are even held that it will be rigged and that the results have been predetermined how then do you expect voters to come out to vote? How? Come out to do what? Participate in a process you claimed has already been predetermined? The opposition must first stop de-marketing every institution of governance including INEC if we want voters apathy to end.”
