Voter Apathy Plagues South-East, South-South as CVR Hits Five Weeks

The ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is facing significant apathy in the South-East and South-South geo-political zones five weeks into the program.

Analysis of INEC data shows a stark regional imbalance:

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The combined total of physical and online registrations from the 10 states in the South-East and South-South is far less than the figures recorded by just one South-West state, Osun, which logged 578,904 online pre-registrations and 83,284 physical registrations. Overall, Southern Nigeria trails the North in online registration but leads slightly in physical registration numbers.

Reasons for Low Turnout

Political and civil society groups have attributed the voter apathy, particularly in the South-East and South-South, to several factors:

• Loss of Faith in Electoral Process: Many residents in the South-East expressed profound disenchantment and a belief that their votes no longer count, citing the outcomes of the 2023 elections. A former administrator in Enugu State, Chief Charles Okwor, stated that people are not turning up because they believe politicians decide the winners, not the voters.
• Cumbersome Process/Logistics: The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) dismissed claims of apathy, insisting that South-South residents are politically conscious. However, PANDEF’s spokesman called on INEC to make the process less cumbersome by taking registration closer to the people, noting that the cost of traveling to local government headquarters is too high amid the current economic hardship.
• Inadequate Publicity: The Director of Programmes for Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, blamed the low turnout on inadequate publicity and voter education, urging INEC and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to leverage various media platforms, especially those targeting young people.
• “Last Minute” Syndrome: The Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, attributed some apathy to a typical Nigerian habit of waiting until the deadline to exercise their civic duties.

Calls for Action and Reform

Worried by the trend, leaders across the country have urged citizens to register:

• Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide President-General, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, appealed to Igbos to take the exercise seriously.
• The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) urged all eligible citizens not to be complacent.
• Professor Okey Oji of ESUT warned that the South-East cannot achieve its aspiration for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction without sufficient voting power.

Civil society groups like Yiaga Africa and the International Press Centre (IPC) stressed that the fundamental issue remains a lack of trust in the electoral system. They called for comprehensive electoral reforms, including compulsory electronic transmission of results and independent appointments to the electoral body, to rebuild confidence among Nigerians, especially the youth. Sources