Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has attributed the persistent low voter turnout during elections in Nigeria to manipulation of the electoral process and other fraudulent practices by desperate politicians.
Otti said this in Port Harcourt during the opening ceremony of the First International Conference on Advancing Politics and Governance for Sustainable Development, organized by the Centre for Politics, University of Port Harcourt.
He expressed concern that electoral malpractice has eroded public trust, leading to widespread voter apathy.
Represented by the former Senate Minority Chief Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, the governor lamented that despite huge sums of money spent on political mobilization, voter participation has continued to decline.
“You find out that there is a continued decline in voters’ turnout in successive elections despite the rising cost of political mobilization. People have become disenchanted, especially after the 2023 general elections,” he said.
Otti called on Nigerians, particularly intellectuals, policymakers, and community leaders, to take ownership of the political process and work towards genuine democratic reforms.
“Complaining from the sidelines will no longer be feasible. We must begin mobilizing the best of us to pursue the message of a new order and make a strong case for change within democratic bounds,” he stated.
The governor stressed that the current levels of unemployment, poverty, and economic distress in Africa are unjustifiable, stressing that restoration is possible if citizens rediscover their collective power.
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