Cardinal Onaiyekan Critiques Low Voter Turnout in Nigeria

Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Abuja, lamented the low turnout of Nigerians in elections during an interview on Thursday. He attributed this decline to a loss of interest among the populace and a perceived insincerity from the government and electoral bodies.

Onaiyekan referenced the recent FCT area council elections, which saw a notably low voter turnout across polling units in the nation's capital. He pointed out that many Nigerians no longer believe in the electoral process, suggesting that the outcomes are often manipulated.

He noted that only a small fraction of the 23 million registered voters participated in the last general elections, indicating a significant disconnect between the electorate and the electoral process. Onaiyekan emphasized the need for the electoral process to be accepted by the people, as many young individuals have shown commitment by visiting INEC offices to collect their voter cards, reflecting their desire for genuine democracy in Nigeria.