Abuja Polls: Catholic Bishops Decry Low Voter Turnout

The Catholic Bishops’ conference of Nigeria has expressed concern over the dwindling interest of Nigerians in the electoral process, warning that it could undermine the country’s democracy.

In a communiqué released at the end of their plenary session on Wednesday, the bishops attributed the low voter turnout in the just-concluded Abuja Area Council elections to a lack of trust in the electoral process.

They called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, the National Assembly, and security agencies to take steps to rebuild public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The communiqué cited data from the electoral body showing a steep decline in participation, from 60% in 2003, to 23% in the 2023 general elections, and a mere 7% in the recent FCT Area Council elections.

“We demand that the National Assembly review its stance on electoral reform and ensure that the Electoral Act provides for the mandatory transmission of election results in real time from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal,” the bishops said.

.The conference also urged eligible voters to take the electoral process seriously and called on the government to address growing insecurity through proactive measures, including investment in modern surveillance technology and strengthening intelligence-gathering systems.

The bishops commended the government for acknowledging its difficulty in securing lives and property and for seeking external assistance.
However, they emphasized that the ultimate security and destiny of the nation remain in the hands of its citizens.