Emmanuel Oladesu
A year after 2019 general elections, there is voter fatigue. Nigerians are becoming more disillusioned and disenchanted with government and governance. The polity is stagnated on account of the boring social condition.
The casualty is the electoral process. But, democracy is also jeopardized by deliberate self-alienation and abstention from voting.
Nigerians attempted to visit their frustration on the system during the recent by-elections across the country. Apathy may not be due to lack of knowledge or information. The diminishing interest and indifference to polls may be a direct protest; a reaction to the state of the nation, following the inevitable ruptured trust between the government and the governed.
The reason for the low turnout may be the glaring emotional detachment on account of failed promises and the huge gap between public expectation and reality.
The growing perception that the political system has failed and thus, incapable of guaranteeing the benefits of welfare may continue to persist, in the face of the declining standard of living.
While last year’s general elections generated much interest, the recent by-elections appeared to be the sole business of the parties and candidates. The elections could be compared to advanced party primaries. The exercise was projected by the media. Yet, voters reacted with aloofness. They exercised the right to abstain, thereby stifling the scope of political participation.
Even, the youths, whose legitimate protests were hijacked by hoodlums, failed to strategically grap the opportunity to use the ballot box to fight the battle for reforms, liberation and justice. May be, it was due to the fact that the polls were not carnivals, unlike the #EndSARS demonstrations at Lekki and Ikeja, which were sustained with entertainment and fun. They could not build on the achievements of the historic protests, which drew attention to the imperative of social justice and renewal.
In the populous Lagos East Senatorial District, where the APC predictably defeated the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), the total votes cast were not up to 120,000. In other states, despite the mobilisation by the parties and candidates, voters refused to dust up their voter’s cards.
The implication of voter apathy is that the ruling party, either APC or PDP, would always retain an advantage in by-elections.
Elections are critical elements of democracy. They give content, form and predictability to popular rule. Ordinarily, a democratic contest should be a festival of free choice, change, affirmation, or rejectin of leadership. Therefore, why are the electorate indulging self-exclusion or disenfranchisement?
By-elections are fractional and restrictive contests, which are not unifying. Although movements are restricted during general and by-elections, the restrictions are hardly effective during by-elections.
Besides, daily workers can hardly cope without their pursuing means of livelihood for one day because of elections. Their shops and markets, and the sites where they engage in manual labour to get one or two square meals are more important than the polling booths.
In some states, citizens are preoccupied with survival issues. If a by-election is scheduled for communities that were ravaged by terrorism, it is doubtful if voters will take the risk.
Yet, in relatively secured environment, concern is about mounting about the malevolent economy. It is really biting hard. Poverty is growing in leaps and bounds. Complaints revolve around mass unemploy- ment, banditry, kidnapping, rape, police brutality and man’s inhumanity to man.
Many Nigerians also decry the performance of government, particularly the centre. To them, the dividends of democracy are scanty. The high cost of goods and services are worrisome. In this Yultide, many households may not be able to afford a bag of rice. The price is N30,000; the contentious, controversial and disputed minimum wage.
Citizens groan under the yoke of high electricity tariffs, although it amounts to paying for long hours of darkness. They cannot escape from institutionalised suffering as they can hardly afford to fuel their “I pass my neighbour’ generators, the alternative source of electricity.
The simultaneous hikes in price of fuel and electricity tariffs underscore the insensitivity of government to the plight of the masses who also bear the brunt of increased Value Added Tax (TAX), passed to them by producers of goods and services.
There is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 pandemic discouraged voters from casting their ballots. Many Nigerians are not obeying the protocols, even in crowds environments. But, the elite, who are symbol of apathy, built on their antecedent of role abdication in high brow areas of Magodo, for example. When a political leader stormed the residence of an 86 year-old woman, who was reputed for mobilising her equally aged friends to vote, she politely declined, saying: “what for?”
Many are not impressed by the performance of the Federal Government, particularly the sliding economy and growihg insecurity, which seem to have defiled solution. In Nigeria, when policies of the Federal Government take tolls on the people, they vent their anger on the state government, and not the distant central government, which may not feel the impact of their protests.
The danger of apathy may be the conferment of shaky legitimacy on elected government and representatives.
Factors that fuel apathy are obvious, although they are ignored by political parties. Unresolved tensions in political parties due to intra-party conflicts and rifts over nominations, may create a feeling of exclusion which may dispose members to self-alienation on poll day.
Lack of internal democracy may compound nomination hurdles, which may herald post-primary crisis. Dissatisfaction with the shadow poll may discourage the camp of those who feel injured from voting during elections on account of pre-election grudges.
It is important that political parties should promote fairness and equity as imposition of candidates is old fashioned. This does not mean that parties should allow invaders and strange elements or rich money bags to hijack the platforms from original party members.
The fear of rigging may discourage voters from exercising their franchise. Elections must inspire confidence. Votes must count.
Voter apathy may also be premised on the fear of violence. This is why thuggery should be outlawed before, during and after elections.
Apathy is not the solution to bad governance. The solution is to vote wisely and employ the ballot box to kick out bad leaders. Also, after voting, voters should endeavour to hold the elected leaders accountable.
Voter education is important. It can make people to develop and sustain their interest in the electoral process, and reshape their perception of election as a core civic responsibility.
Voter education is the responsibility of political parties, the electoral umpire, civic society groups, religious leaders, the media and government agencies, particularly the National Orientation Agency(NOA), which has nearly become a ghost of itself, judging by its underfunding by government.
But, the greatest antidote to apathy is good governance.
