A non-governmental organisation, the Movement for Credible Elections, has called for the urgent review of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines to curb voter apathy for the 2027 general elections.
The spokesman for the movement, Mr Olawale Okunniyi, made the call in a statement yesterday in Lagos.
The movement said the urgent reform of INEC guidelines was necessary to address voter apathy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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.
According to Okunniyi, this trend undermines the legitimacy of elected governments and weakens democratic institutions.
Okunniyi explained that the current guidelines fell far short of the structural transformation required to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of 2027.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tackle voter apathy directly, stressing that every vote should count through transparent result management.
He described the growing wave of voter apathy as the most damning indictment of Nigeria’s electoral system, adding that it was not merely a behavioural issue but a rational response to a system widely perceived as compromised.
He said that although INEC acknowledged the challenge, the existing guidelines did not provide a credible pathway to reverse it.
Okunniyi said that Nigerians would only participate in elections if they were convinced that their votes would count and be protected.
He acknowledged INEC’s intention to improve transparency, particularly in the conduct of party primaries, and its recognition that credible elections begin long before polling day.
He, however, added that the commission should also improve election-day logistics and voter experience, strengthen voter education—especially among young people—and ensure security while eliminating voter intimidation.
He further stated that Nigeria stood at a critical democratic crossroads, where the credibility of the 2027 general elections would be determined not by the volume of regulations issued but by the integrity, transparency and inclusiveness of the electoral process.
The spokesperson emphasised that public trust could not be commanded but must be earned through consistent and verifiable actions.
Okunniyi therefore urged INEC to go beyond cosmetic reforms and undertake bold, structural changes necessary to guarantee that the will of the Nigerian people prevails, warning that anything less would further deepen electoral distrust and apathy in the country.