NGO Urges INEC To Review Guidelines To Curb Voter Apathy

The Movement for Credible Elections, a non-governmental organisation, has called for an urgent review of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines to tackle voter apathy ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mr. Olawale Okunniyi, the movement’s spokesman, made the appeal in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos, emphasising that structural reforms are needed to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

“Nigeria has consistently recorded alarmingly low voter turnout in recent elections, with less than 30 per cent of registered voters participating in the 2023 general elections. This trend undermines the legitimacy of elected governments and weakens democratic institutions,” Okunniyi said.

He explained that the current INEC guidelines fall short of the measures required to reverse voter apathy and urged the commission to ensure every vote counts through transparent result management.

Okunniyi described voter apathy not merely as a behavioural issue, but as a rational response to a system widely perceived as compromised. He noted that while INEC has acknowledged the challenge, existing guidelines do not provide a credible pathway to restore trust.

The spokesman said Nigerians are likely to participate in elections only if they are confident that their votes will be protected and counted. He called on INEC to complement transparency efforts—particularly in party primaries—with improvements in election-day logistics, voter experience, voter education (especially among young people), and security measures to eliminate intimidation.

“Nigeria stands at a critical democratic crossroads,” Okunniyi warned. “The credibility of the 2027 elections will be determined not by the volume of regulations issued but by the integrity, transparency, and inclusiveness of the electoral process. Public trust must be earned through consistent and verifiable actions.”

He urged INEC to go beyond cosmetic reforms and implement bold, structural changes to guarantee that the will of the Nigerian people prevails, cautioning that anything less could further deepen electoral distrust and apathy.