BY OGORAMAKA AMOS/RITA OYIBOKA/JUDITH OBIANUA/EMMANUELLA OGHENETEGA
As Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, a troubling cloud looms. Beyond the familiar rhythms of political defections, a quieter but more dangerous problem is unfolding: voter apathy driven largely by poor voter turnout in the ongoing Continuous Voters’ Registration (CVR) exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
From Delta to Rivers, registration centres that should be bustling with eligible voters are recording low patronage. Young people, first-time voters, and even politically aware citizens are increasingly choosing to stay away—not because they are ineligible, but because many no longer believe their participation matters.
Voter registration is the gateway to democratic participation. In theory, the process is straightforward: eligible citizens present themselves at designated centres, provide the required details, and are issued a Permanent Voter Card (PVC). In practice, however, many residents describe the process as frustrating, time-consuming, and, at times, discouraging.
More damaging is the psychological toll. Each failed attempt reinforces a belief that the system is either incapable of accommodating them or deliberately indifferent to their participation.
A senior official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State, who spoke to The Pointer on anonymity, acknowledges the registration challenges but insists that the commission is not blind to the problem. “People think we are not serious, but the truth is that we are overstretched,” he explains. “Rivers State has a large and youthful population, yet the resources allocated for the CVR do not always match the demand. Sometimes we have only a few machines to cover multiple wards. When one breaks down, everything stops.”
According to him, staff shortages and security concerns further complicate matters. “There are areas where our officials are afraid to go without security backup. When registration is suspended in such places, residents interpret it as neglect. Over time, they stop trying.”
He warns that declining registration figures should worry everyone, not just INEC. “When people don’t register, it affects the credibility of elections. A small voting population makes manipulation easier and weakens the mandate of whoever eventually emerges.”
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old Tamunotonye Briggs, a university graduate residing in Port Harcourt, represents a growing demographic of politically aware but disengaged youths. According to him, “I tried to register twice,” she recounts. “The first time, they said the machine was down. The second time, I was told to come back another day. I work six days a week. How many times will I keep trying?”
Beyond logistics, her deeper frustration lies in what she perceives as a broken social contract. “Even when people vote, what do we see? The same issues—bad roads, unemployment, and insecurity. Politicians only remember us during campaigns.”
For Tamunotonye, apathy is not laziness but protest. “Not registering is my way of saying I’m tired. If leaders want us back, they should show us that our votes actually count.”
A coordinator with a Port Harcourt-based democracy advocacy group, Mrs Ijeoma Nwankwo, views poor voter registration as part of a larger trust deficit. “People are not just tired; they are suspicious,” she explains, adding, “Many believe election outcomes are predetermined, so they see registration as a waste of energy.”
She argues that repeated reports of electoral irregularities have damaged public confidence. “When ballots appear not to reflect votes cast, citizens withdraw emotionally and physically from the process.”
Mrs Nwankwo called for aggressive voter education and transparency. “INEC must communicate better, political parties must reform internally, and security agencies must guarantee safe elections. Without trust, registration drives will continue to fail.” A political science lecturer and election observer, Dr Sola Adebayo, warns that voter apathy creates fertile ground for elite capture of the democratic process. “When only a fraction of the population is registered, elections become easier to manipulate,” he said, adding, “A small, controllable voter base benefits entrenched interests who thrive on low participation.”
“If the trend continues into 2027, we may witness leadership that lacks broad legitimacy. This can deepen post-election tensions and governance challenges’’ he said, stressing that democracy is not self-sustaining. “Participation is its oxygen. Without it, the system suffocates.”
A woman leader in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Chief Margaret Wosu, believes community structures can help reverse the trend. “In the past, community leaders mobilised people to register and vote,” she recalls. “Today, many of us have relaxed, leaving everything to INEC.”
She advocates grassroots engagement. “If churches, town unions, and youth groups take ownership of voter mobilisation, people will respond. Civic duty must be preached like a shared responsibility, not a government favour.”
In an interview, the Vice President (South) of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comr Kenneth Okolie, spoke extensively on youth participation, declining public trust, and the need for renewed engagement in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He said collaboration between the government and INEC remained crucial, especially at a time when many Nigerians, particularly young people, were rapidly losing confidence in government institutions and the political process.
According to him, widespread disillusionment had been fuelled by what many citizens perceived as flawed leadership selection processes, weak governance structures, and the conduct of previous elections.
“You see that people are losing trust because they feel it is of no use, that the process and procedure of leadership are nothing to write home about. People are beginning to ask why they should even bother when the truth does not come out, especially considering what happened in the last election,” he said.
Okolie stressed that despite frustrations surrounding the last polls, Nigerians, especially youths, must not withdraw from the system but must remain actively involved in shaping it. “I am trying to encourage people to understand that change will not come if we go against participation. Refusing to engage will not solve the problem. Rather, we must participate and see how we can change things. If you do not take part in elections, it becomes impossible for you to contribute to national development,” he said.
He admitted that public confidence had been badly shaken but insisted that abandoning the process entirely would only worsen the situation. “We are encouraging people not to lose faith in government. Someday, sometime, we will get it right. We are trying to organise more sensitisation, taking it to the grassroots, and encouraging people to believe that this country can still work,” he said.
Speaking on the prospects of the next general election, Okolie expressed optimism that 2027 could mark a turning point. “Yes, we are very hopeful that this time around, what happened in the last election will not repeat itself. That is why we are encouraging young people not to lose faith, but to come out again, collect their PVCs and allow their votes to speak for them. This time, we must protect our votes and ensure that whoever we support is truly represented. If things do not go right, we must insist through the ballot that our voices are heard,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Youth Council (SNYC), Delta State Chapter, Comr Wiska Monday, also weighed in on the issue of voter apathy and institutional reform.
According to him, the solution to Nigeria’s political crisis lies in fixing governance structures and ensuring that public institutions function transparently and responsibly.
“What needs to be done to remedy this situation is simple: the INEC as an institution has to be strengthened, unbiased and do the right thing. That is the only solution,” he said.
Responding to concerns that disappointment from the 2023 elections had discouraged voters, Monday acknowledged the frustration but maintained that the future could still be different if citizens reclaimed their power. “2027 is like a consolidation election. People felt disappointed about what happened in 2023, and that is why many lost interest. They no longer trust the electoral process. But people must understand that power belongs to them. They cannot hand it over and walk away. The only way to correct leadership is to remain involved and insist on accountability,” he said.
When asked what he would tell someone who had completely given up on voting after believing their vote was manipulated in the last election, he urged resilience rather than withdrawal. “Sometimes our expectations are not met, but that does not mean we stop believing or stop trying. If you stop participating and doing the right things, you give up your right to influence the future. The only way forward is to stay engaged and keep pushing for a better system,” he said. He further reiterated that meaningful change would not come from political apathy but from sustained civic pressure, participation, and institutional reform.
Also, a political analyst and public affairs commentator, Dr Tunde Aremu, affirmed that Nigeria’s growing voter apathy was not accidental but the direct result of years of institutional failure and broken political promises.
According to him, citizens’ declining interest in elections reflects a crisis of credibility that cannot be solved by rhetoric alone. “Imagine going to vote and watching the ballot being manipulated right in front of you, or being queried about which party you are supporting before you are even allowed into the polling unit.
‘’What about those who are intimidated, assaulted, or chased away entirely? What about communities where ballot boxes disappear, results are rewritten, or security agents look the other way? How would you trust the outcome of such an election?” he said.
Aremu argued that restoring confidence ahead of 2027 would depend largely on whether electoral institutions could convincingly demonstrate independence and operational integrity. “INEC must move beyond announcing results to performing. Elections must not only be conducted, but they must also be perceived as credible. The logistics, the technology, the security framework and the dispute-resolution process must all work seamlessly. Without that, public enlightenment campaigns will achieve very little,” he said.
He further warned that sustained voter apathy posed a long-term threat to Nigeria’s democracy. “When citizens withdraw, democracy becomes a private club for political elites. Low turnout weakens legitimacy, empowers manipulation, and creates leadership that is disconnected from the people. That is a dangerous trajectory for any multi-ethnic, politically sensitive country like Nigeria,” he said.
The analyst maintained that 2027 still presents an opportunity for a reset if reforms are pursued aggressively and consistently. “If the government is serious about stabilising the polity, then electoral reform must become a national priority, not an election-season slogan. Trust is rebuilt through predictable, repeatable credibility. Once Nigerians begin to see that votes truly translate to outcomes, participation will naturally rebound,” he said.
Speaking on the issue was a resident of Asaba and petty trader, Mrs Ifunanya Justice, who recounted her experience voting in the 2023 general elections. Mrs Justice said she was heavily pregnant at the time she went out to vote, standing in long queues for hours because she believed participation was a civic duty and a sacrifice worth making for the future.
“I was almost due when I went to vote last year. My legs were swollen, my back was hurting, and people were even telling me to go home, that it was not worth it,” she said. “But I still stood there because I felt that if people like me don’t come out, then we have already surrendered our country.”
She, however, admitted that the eventual outcome of the election left her deeply discouraged. “After everything, when the results started coming out, I felt very bad. I felt like all that stress was for nothing. I cried. I told myself I would never go out again. It was painful. I risked my health and my baby’s health because I believed my vote would count,” she said.
Despite her disappointment, Justice said she has not completely ruled out participating in future elections, stressing that total withdrawal could hand the system over to the wrong hands.
“Sometimes I still feel angry when I remember it. But if we all stop voting, then the same people will continue deciding everything for us. Even if the system is bad, we cannot abandon it to those who are destroying it. We have to keep showing up and demanding better,” she said.
She added that restoring trust would depend largely on visible reforms and institutional accountability. “If INEC and the government can show us that votes truly count, people will come out again. Nigerians are not lazy. People are tired of being deceived. We just want a process that is transparent, fair, and respects the sacrifice citizens are making.”
Speaking with a cross-section of Nigerians in Abuja, the nation’s capital, some respondents declared that aside from losing faith and trust in INEC to conduct free, credible and transparent elections, they also claim that their votes no longer count as votes are allocated to aspirants based on financial clout and the choices of money bags.
One of the respondents who spoke to The Pointer, Mr Oladimeji Obafemi, said, “I do not see why I should even bother to pick up my voters’ card, talk less of voting. We have seen instances where politicians openly boasted of securing victory before the polls.
‘’Who then will waste his time going out to queue for hours, vote and then the vote ends up not counted? It is a shame to our political class and INEC in particular.’’ Asked if the situation changed, would he collect his PVC and vote, his response was a quick and vehement negative.
However, a spare parts dealer in the popular Nyanya Market in Abuja, Okechukwu Obiora, opined that unless he sees a positive change in the way and manner things are done in the country, he sees no reason to bother himself about voting. “On the day of voting, I will be at home playing with my family. This country is not worth the waste of time and energy,” he said.
“I was asked to go change my polling unit because I relocated to Abuja in 2024. I am not convinced that my vote will count. Therefore, let them keep it. I am no longer interested,” he fumed.
Also, a youth who resides in Kurudu, in the Municipal Area Council of Abuja, Mr Anibaba Tosin, said, ‘’What are we collecting PVC’s for. Our votes do not count. You stress yourself, leave your business, which is your source of income, to go and collect PVCs to make you eligible to vote, but at the end of the day, your votes do not count. The person INEC wants to win is already known. I cannot stress myself. Let them do their thing. Has the opinion of the common man ever mattered in this country?’’ he asked.
Another respondent, Yussuf Abdullahi, said, ‘’I am from the North, in fact from Katsina to be precise. What have we benefited from mass voting? Whenever it is time to collect PVCs, it is the northerners you will see lining up. We also come out in mass to vote, but what have we benefited? We are the worst hit in security issues, no good roads, no security. Our economic activities are destroyed due to insecurity, and you want us to come out to waste our time again trying to get PVCs?
‘’I have told my people that this time around, na to siddon look. And again, if we must be sincere to one another, does our vote count? No, it doesn’t, not at all. Who are we (populace) when it comes to voting? Voting is for formality’s sake because in Nigeria, only the politicians know who they want.
Corroborating other respondents, Mr Mordi Francis, who spoke to The Pointer in Asaba, claimed that the reason there is low turnout in the voters registration exercise is that votes are not counted. ‘’Our vote does not count, and seeing what is happening in the country, today I don’t think there is a need for that (vote).
‘’The insecurity challenge in the country today is alarming; kidnapping, killings have become a normal routine. You are not safe in your own house even when the doors are locked. There is killing everywhere, so why should we vote when the people you are voting for cannot protect or provide for the masses?
‘’Nigerians are tired of what is happening and are angry. The leaders keep imposing laws on people, not caring if it’s okay for them or not. One cannot be hungry and be expected to vote. For the past three months, we do not have electricity. How can we be proud to vote when the leaders are not serving us well?
‘’Nigerians are no longer interested. In the last registration exercise, people were ready and willing. As early as 6:30 am, voters’ registration centres were filled. Sometimes you will go there up to three times in a week before you succeed in registering. The zeal was there, but to say the truth, I am not ready. Whether the people register or not, elections must take place for formality.’’
