Abdulsalami Peace Committee Reveals Reasons for Low Voter Turnout in 2023 Polls

ACNN NEWS
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Listing various reasons, the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by Chairman and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), along with Convener Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah and other committee members, explained why the 2023 general elections saw lower voter turnout than expected.

During the formal presentation of the NPC’s 2023 General Elections Report in Abuja on Friday, it was highlighted that despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu defeating former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and other candidates in a closely contested election, voter turnout was disappointingly low.

According to the report from Daily Trust, out of 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million participated in the 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections. This marks a voter turnout of 26.72 percent, the lowest since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, and a significant decline from the 34.74 percent turnout in the 2019 general election.

Rev. Atta Barkindo, Head of the NPC Secretariat, elaborated on the findings, pointing out issues such as non-compliance with electoral policies, guidelines, and legal frameworks. He also cited a deficit in public trust, limited political awareness among citizens, and challenges with election technology, as well as the impact of poverty on the credibility of the electoral process.

Barkindo emphasized that these factors led the peace committee to make specific recommendations for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other election management bodies to address in future elections. He stressed the importance of a whole-society approach to ensuring free, fair, and credible elections, highlighting the need for government responsibility in improving socio-economic conditions to encourage voter participation.

The report also noted that despite assurances of free, fair, and credible elections from President Buhari and INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, a lack of compliance by officials from various agencies contributed to widespread voter apathy and mistrust in the electoral process.

The 2023 elections saw voter turnout plummet to 29 percent, down from 69 percent in 2003 and 53 percent in 2011, with President Tinubu securing victory with the support of fewer than nine million voters out of 93 million registered.

The report concluded by calling for urgent measures to restore trust and confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process. Prof. Yakubu also briefed the NPC on preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, scheduled for November 2024, assuring the committee of the commission’s readiness and coordination with security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure successful elections.

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