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2027: 'Nigerians are hungry, angry' - Utomi urges massive voter turnout
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

2027: 'Nigerians are hungry, angry' - Utomi urges massive voter turnout

From Vanguard · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Professor Pat Utomi urged Nigerians to prepare for massive voter turnout in the upcoming January 2027 presidential election.
  • He highlighted the country's severe socio-economic conditions, including widespread hunger and poverty, warning that these hardships are being exploited for electoral gain.
  • Utomi also called for electoral integrity, proposing live-streaming from polling stations to combat malpractice and expressing concern over declining public confidence in key institutions.

Professor Pat Utomi is calling for a massive voter turnout in Nigeria's January 2027 presidential election, emphasizing the urgent need to address the nation's dire socio-economic conditions. Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, Utomi stated that "the state of our country is troubling. The pain, the hunger, and the anger in the land is so palpable."

The state of our country is troubling. The pain, the hunger, and the anger in the land is so palpable.

— Prof. Pat UtomiProfessor of Political Economy highlighting Nigeria's socio-economic conditions.

Utomi, a convener of the Big Tent and Movement for Credible Election, warned that widespread hardship has made saving Nigeria "a matter of desperation." He expressed concern that poverty is increasingly being weaponized for electoral purposes, with votes being bought from the impoverished. "Even as power continues to weaponise poverty through the buying of votes of those so hungry," he said, urging citizens to resist manipulation and demand accountability.

Even as power continues to weaponise poverty through the buying of votes of those so hungry.

— Prof. Pat UtomiWarning about the exploitation of poverty for electoral gain.

The professor also voiced deep concern over the crumbling state of Nigeria's institutions and the declining public confidence in the judiciary, police, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He stressed that electoral integrity is crucial for Nigeria's survival, stating, "Impunity must end in Nigeria if Nigeria is to survive."

Our institutions are crumbling while public confidence in the judiciary, the police and EFCC are at an all-time low.

— Prof. Pat UtomiExpressing concern over the state of Nigerian institutions.

To bolster transparency and combat electoral malpractice, Utomi's organizations are working towards live-streaming proceedings from every polling booth during the 2027 elections. This initiative aims to address weaknesses in the current electronic results-viewing platform and ensure greater accountability. He cited International Monetary Fund statistics indicating that 35 million Nigerians face food insecurity and World Bank estimates suggesting nearly 139 million could be living in poverty by the end of 2026, underscoring the scale of the economic crisis.

Impunity must end in Nigeria if Nigeria is to survive.

— Prof. Pat UtomiStressing the importance of accountability for Nigeria's survival.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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