Anambra guber: INEC not showing enough interest in fight against voter apathy – CATYCOI
Lawrence Ndubeze, Awka
The Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI), a youth–led non-profit, non-partisan and community-based organization has raised concerns over the commitment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to tackle voter apathy in the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
Executive Director of CATYCOI, Comrade Nonso Orakwe, raised the concern Thursday at a Stakeholders Forum and Press Briefing organized under Campaign Against Voter Apathy (CAVA) project in the state.
The project themed: Strengthening Citizens Participation in the 2025 Anambra Gubernatorial Elections is in partnership with LEAP Africa, a nonprofit organisation.
Orakwe claimed that the commission’s continued failure to turn up at programmes aimed at sensitizing citizens on the importance of active electoral participation was undermining efforts to combat voter apathy in the state.
“Catch Them Young Community Initiative, as an institution that is poised to promote good governance in the southeast, has invited INEC severally to sensitize stakeholders on preparedness for election but they were not seen.”
Recall that the last Anambra governorship election recorded ‘historic low’ voter turnout. Only 10 per cent of the registered voters in the state voted during the 2021 governorship election.
However, Orakwe stated that the disappointments are disheartening and a cause for concern. He noted that it was not the first time, and that they had sent them several invitations because they believed INEC would play a vital role in sensitizing people on voting.
“Even in 2021, during the election that brought in the present leadership in Anambra and other occasions, we invited them to come and tell the citizens how prepared they were for the election, they were nowhere to be found.
“I don’t know what is happening or whether they are engaged, but whatever is happening, it is unlikely all INEC staff are engaged at the same time. They need to send a representative, but we have seen none.
“Now, people tend to look at us as INEC because when we go to the field, people ask questions, but we don’t have the necessary information or answers motivate them because INEC has not been attending our meetings to tell us how prepared they are, so we can carry the message to the grassroots.”
Orakwe warned that INEC’s continued absence might impact voter turnout in the forthcoming election, as they were not informing people about their preparedness.
He however expressed confidence in Anambra citizens and their capacity to handle elections, saying they were not deterred and would continue to push forward for a better society achieved through democracy.
LEAP Africa Programmes and Policy Coordinator, Haruna Godiya, lamented growing voter apathy, especially among youths in Anambra, blaming it on trust deficit and insecurity.
He regretted that the apathy is rendering efforts of country heroes and founding fathers futile, stressing the need for conscious and intentional effort towards solving problems associated with elections in the best interests of the nation’s democracy.
“The daunting challenge has been some social challenges such as Trust Deficit, Insecurity and others. However, we have achieved significant progress in some areas such as the use of Bi-modal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) and other digital systems.
“We want you to be change you want to see, fully participate and be part of the process so that efforts of our heroes past such as Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Nwafor Orizu, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and Dora Akunyuli and others will not be in vain.”
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) State Chairman, Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, warned that continued apathy will not bring about the desired change in Anambra. He urged young participants to be ambassadors of anti-apathy and mobilize others to actively participate in the electoral process.
In a keynote address entitled: “Building Public Trust for Credible Electoral Process,” veteran journalist, Dr. Dennis Ekemezie noted that Anambra has experienced fairly acceptable elections in the last decade. He encouraged the people to do more to improve the society
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Edwin Okadigbo assured the Corps’ preparedness to protect the citizens before, during and after the election, urging voters to come out enmass to vote for candidates of their choice.
State Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke disclosed that more than 1,000 persons with disabilities are ready to participate in the election, commending INEC efforts to involve his members in various stages of the election process, including voter registration, training, and voter education.
“Our collaboration with all agencies involved in elections has greatly improved. “We’re going to use our number to make political statements during the election so we can make our demands after the election.”
Other stakeholders including Anambra State Director National Orientation Agencies (NOA), Mr. Edozie Ajaegbu, and the State Chairman, Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Hajia Khadijat Olahan, reechoed need for increased sensitization and voter participation for a credible gubernatorial exercise in the state.
