Voter Apathy: APC advocates early voting for essential workers

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA — National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has called for the introduction of early voting in Nigeria to address what he described as the systemic disenfranchisement of essential election-day workers.

Yilwatda made the call on Thursday at a consultative meeting with political party leaders organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

He described election-day workers as the “silent casualties” of Nigeria’s electoral process, noting that the current system effectively denies them their constitutional right to vote.

At the meeting, INEC drew attention to what it termed a “sobering trend” in voter turnout, revealing that participation in presidential elections has steadily declined from 53.7 per cent in 2011 to 43.6 per cent in 2015, 34.7 per cent in 2019, and a historic low of 26.7 per cent in the 2023 general election.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Mr. Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda noted that thousands of Nigerians—including INEC ad-hoc staff, security personnel, civil society observers, medical workers and journalists—are unable to vote because of their official responsibilities on election day.

He said these citizens are “effectively disenfranchised by the very roles they play in safeguarding the democratic process,” adding that they are unfairly lumped among those blamed for voter apathy, despite their absence from polling units being a consequence of national service.

According to him, the recurring contradiction underscores the need for urgent electoral reform, particularly the adoption of early voting to allow essential workers to cast their ballots ahead of general election day.

The APC chairman argued that such a measure would promote inclusivity and ensure a more accurate reflection of the will of the electorate.

Responding, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, acknowledged that early voting has been considered as a reform option but warned that it poses serious operational and cultural challenges.

He cautioned against a system in which ballots are “warehoused” for later counting, noting that it could expose the process to abuse, manipulation and erosion of public trust, with fears that “huge votes could suddenly appear from somewhere.”

Amupitan also pointed to Nigeria’s electoral culture, saying many voters prefer same-day voting and counting as a transparency safeguard. He stressed that until a system that enjoys absolute public confidence and is widely seen as incorruptible is established, early voting would remain difficult to implement.

Beyond issues of trust, the INEC chairman highlighted the heavy financial implications of such a reform, explaining that it could require the commission to nearly double its electoral materials, significantly increasing the cost of elections.

Despite these concerns, Yilwatda urged stakeholders to confront the realities with honesty, stressing the need to strike a balance between credibility, cost and culture to ensure that no citizen is excluded from voting simply because they are serving the nation.

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