A former Lagos State Chairman of the Inter -Party Advisory Council (IPAC), James Adeshina, has said voter apathy undermines credibility of elections and democracy.

Mr Adeshina, the 2023 AAC governorship candidate in Lagos State, said this during an interview on Sunday.

Voter apathy is a pressing reality in Nigeria’s volatile democracy. Over the past 18 of the 26 years of the Fourth Republic, voter participation has been on a steady decline.

In 26 years of democratic rule, Nigeria has conducted seven general elections, many off-season elections, and numerous local council elections, most of which were marred by significant voter apathy and a lack of electoral transparency.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Adeshina said results of elections could not be said to reflect the will of the people with poor voter participation characterising elections.

The former IPAC chairman identified lack of trust in the electoral system as a major cause of apathy.

He said: “Voter apathy is a troubling issue in many democracies, including Nigeria. It reflects a growing disconnection between the people and the political system — where citizens feel that their votes don’t count, politicians don’t care, or nothing ever changes. This disengagement weakens democracy, reduces accountability, and empowers corrupt leadership.’’

Mr Adeshina also listed poor governance, insecurity and electoral violence, poor youth disengagement and poor civic education as other reasons for voter apathy in elections.

“Many citizens believe election outcomes are rigged or predetermined. When elected leaders fail to deliver on promises, people lose faith in the process. Fear of violence during elections discourages participation. Young people often feel excluded from the political space or see politics as a dirty game while many voters do not fully understand their rights or the power of their vote,” he added.

On the way out, the former IPAC boss called for government and stakeholders’ commitment to rebuilding trust in the electoral system

He said that there was the need to strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to be more independent and transparent.

According to him, security agencies must be seen to be prosecuting electoral offenders swiftly and publicly.

On civic education and voter awareness, Mr Adeshina called on schools, media, religious, and community leaders and other stakeholders to drive sustained education on the importance of voting.

He said, “Social media campaigns can reach the youth with creative content. We must create platforms for youth involvement in politics beyond just voting. We must promote and support young credible candidates and deliver good governance to change this ugly trend. When citizens see improvements in their lives from past elections, they will be more motivated to participate in the future.’’

According to him, security on election day must improve to prevent violent activities and security agencies must not be seen to be partisan or supporting the ruling party.

He said that the security must deploy adequate security in volatile areas to protect voters.

Mr Adeshina stated, “We must make the voting process easier and not stressful. We must simplify the registration process. We must explore early voting or electronic voting systems to reduce stress and long queues. Democracy is not just about elections, but elections are its heartbeat. If we want a better Nigeria, we must reject apathy and embrace civic responsibility. The ballot remains one of our most powerful tools for change — but it only works when we use it.’’

(NAN)