Manipulation, Electoral Fraud Fuel Voter Apathy in Nigeria — Gov Otti

Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has blamed the persistent low voter turnout in Nigerian elections on manipulation and fraudulent practices perpetrated by desperate politicians.

Speaking on Tuesday in Port Harcourt at the opening of the First International Conference on Advancing Politics and Governance for Sustainable Development, organized by the Centre for Politics, University of Port Harcourt, Otti lamented that electoral malpractice has eroded public confidence, resulting in widespread voter apathy.

Represented by former Senate Minority Chief Whip, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Otti said that despite the huge sums spent on political mobilization, citizens have become increasingly disenchanted with the system.

“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.

The governor urged Nigerians, intellectuals, policymakers, and community leaders to actively participate in reforming the nation’s political system, stressing that passive complaints are no longer enough.

“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 declared.

Otti further noted that the high levels of unemployment, poverty, and economic hardship across Africa are unacceptable, emphasizing that meaningful change is achievable if citizens reclaim their collective power.

“Our case is not beyond redemption. Restoration will start when we come to a new awareness of our powers as intellectuals, opinion leaders, policymakers, and students,” he stated.

The Abia governor also stressed that transparent governance and participatory democracy are key to sustainable progress.

“We may have lost so much to political indifference and poor governance, but what is left is insignificant compared to what the future holds. We must work with like minds to reclaim the political process for progress,” he added.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Conference, Prince Tonye Princewill, said sustainable development cannot be achieved through economic growth alone.

“When politics is reduced to a competition for power rather than a platform for service, progress falters. But when governance is guided by vision, transparency, inclusion, and accountability, nations rise,” Princewill said.

The conference, themed “Politics, Resource Governance and Sustainable Development in Africa,” drew participants from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, the UAE, the United States, Canada, and Australia.

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