DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

Violence, vote-buying erode confidence in elections – NOA

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Nigeria's National Orientation Agency (NOA) identifies election violence, misinformation, and vote-buying as key factors eroding public confidence in the electoral process.
  • The NOA notes that a growing perception, especially among young Nigerians, that votes do not matter contributes to voter apathy.
  • Restoring trust requires civic education, emphasizing not just how to vote but why it matters, and encouraging rejection of violence and manipulation.

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has pinpointed election violence, the spread of misinformation, and vote-buying as significant factors undermining Nigerians' trust in their electoral system. Olukemi Afolayan, the NOA's Director of Civic, Values, and Democracy Education, highlighted these issues at an election roundtable in Abuja.

Yet, across many democracies, including Nigeria, we are confronted with the challenge of declining trust, voter apathy, misinformation, vote buying, election violence and the growing perception among some citizens, particularly young people, that their votes do not make a meaningful difference.

— Olukemi AfolayanDescribing the multifaceted challenges eroding confidence in electoral processes.

Afolayan stated that a prevailing sentiment, particularly among young Nigerians, is that their votes lack impact, which directly fuels voter apathy. She emphasized that declining trust, voter apathy, misinformation, vote buying, and election violence are challenges confronting many democracies, including Nigeria. Restoring citizens' faith in the democratic process is crucial to reversing apathy and boosting participation.

"Reclaiming our vote must begin with reclaiming citizens’ confidence in the democratic process," Afolayan asserted. She stressed the importance of young Nigerians as vital stakeholders in the nation's democratic development, given the country's youthful demographic. Enfranchising this generation requires more than just encouraging registration and voting; it necessitates equipping them with essential civic knowledge and values.

This is why reclaiming our vote must begin with reclaiming citizens’ confidence in the democratic process.

— Olukemi AfolayanStating the necessity of rebuilding trust to encourage voter participation.

The NOA believes that comprehensive civic education and values reorientation are fundamental to democratic progress. Citizens need to understand the significance of their vote, their rights, and their responsibilities. The agency urged Nigerians to reject vote buying and selling, resist misinformation, shun electoral violence, and demand issue-based campaigns from political actors.

Nigeria is a youthful nation. Our young people are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; they are active stakeholders in the Nigeria of today.

— Olukemi AfolayanHighlighting the critical role of young Nigerians in the country's democracy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog