INEC Blames Government, Commissions For Voters’ Apathy

A research finding by INEC says government, politicians and electoral commissions are responsible for voters’ apathy in Nigeria.

The research, commissioned by the INEC and sponsored by the Friedrich-Eberts-Stiftung, said the trio ranked highest on the list of factors found responsible for voters’ apathy.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja midweek,  after the presentation of the report to INEC, the Lead Researcher, Prof. Adigun Agbaje, said the report contained the findings of the research conducted in 12 states randomly selected.

However, a few respondents felt that voters should be held responsible for their indifference to voting while some people blamed the press for lack of objectivity in some reports .

The research was conducted in Kogi, Nassarawa, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Katsina, Ebonyi, Enugu, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos and Ogun states.

He said out of the four pos sible reasons adduced  by  respondent for voters’ apathy, violence and electoral fraud were considered the most significant factors.

Agbaje said the respondents indicated that voters tended to display apathy during the voting process, stressing that they were apathetic to voters registration, voting and activities of some political parties

Agbaje said that voters’ mobilisation was very vital to redcution of apathy and it required the cooperation of the stakeholders to ensure credible,

Agbaje said the respondents indicated that voters tended to display apathy during the voting process, stressing that they were apathetic to voters registration, voting and activities of some political parties

Agbaje said that voters’ mobilisation was very vital to redcution of apathy and it required the cooperation of the stakeholders to ensure credible,  posinclusive, transparent, free and fair elections.

According to him, the findings indicate that government must provide adequate support to INEC, fulfill electoral promises, ensure adequate security for voters, enforce law and order in the society to reduce apathy.

The professor emphasised the need for politicians to refrain from “do-or-die politics” and educate their supporters on the need to refrain from political violence during elections.

According to him, the press should be involved in voter education and write unbiased reports, guard against bribery and corruption.

Responding, the INEC Chairman, Prof Atahiru Jega, said the research followed the commission’s determination to come up with a driving policy.

According to him, it has become imperative that any serious effort to bring about electoral reform must consider the challenge of voters’ apathy.

The Chairman, who was represented by Mrs Amina Bala-Zakare, INEC National Commissioner, said as the commission was preparing for the 2015 elections, it had become imperative to do a study on the causes, dimensions and consequences of apathy.

He added that this would enable INEC to make strategies to tackle the challenges in the Nigeria contest.

Jega expressed the hope that the report would pave the way to shape the future political policies in the country.

The research was carried out between March and April 2011, on a nationally representative sample of 1,200 respondents while the primary sampling unit was the electoral ward.

The respondents were selected, using a multi stage sampling design comprising 12 states, 27 local government areas, 43 wards and 60 in rural and urban areas respectively.