NIGERIA 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS

2023 and voters’ apathy

By Tayo Ogunbiyi
06 August 2022 | 6:55 am

Voters check for details of eligible voters pasted on the wall at a polling station during the Anambra State governorship election at Isuofia, southeast Nigeria, on November 6, 2021. – Voters in the restive southeastern Nigerian state of Anambra go to the polls on November 6, 2021, amid a massive police deployment, in a key test of electoral credibility ahead of a presidential race less than 18 months away. More than 30,000 police have been deployed to Anambra, the heart of a region where an outlawed separatist movement has been blamed for a string of attacks on police and election offices.

The recently concluded governorship election in Osun State has once again brought to fore the issue of voters’ apathy in the country. According to reports, out of the over 1,955,657 registered voters in the state, only a little over 800,000 turned out on Election Day.

A similar scenario played out in the last Local Government election in Lagos State where not up to 18% of the total registered voters actually voted during the election.

In the 2019 Governorship election in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu won by 739,445 votes. Whereas a total number of 6,570,291 voters registered for the election, the overall number of voters that took part in the poll was not up to a million.

Democracy is about the choice that the people make. Of all the various definitions of democracy, the most universally famous is the one that refers to it as the government of the people by the people and for the people.

The implication of the definition is that the people give impetus to democracy. In essence, you cannot have democracy without the people. The people set democracy in motion. However, in Nigeria, the people do not seem to understand the democratic power they wield.

The word ‘apathy’, which has its source in Greek, plainly means ‘without feelings’. According to Victor Marie Hugo, French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic Movement, ‘the apathetic are alive but without feelings, so they are not living. They are the living dead’.

Therefore, in line with Hugo’s line of thought, voters’ apathy simply refers to the insensitivity of the people towards the electoral process, particularly voting.

According to a statistics from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, only about 35% of the over, 70million who registered to vote in the 2011 general elections really participated in the voting process. This implies that over 65% of registered voters did not vote.

This dangerous trend must be a source of serious concern to all genuine stakeholders in the polity.

This growing trend has grievous implications on the prospect of democracy in the country. For one, it ensures that that leaders who attain political power via the votes of the minority rule over the majority.

Second, because they do not get to power through the votes of the majority, they tend to espouse self-seeking agenda.

Third, it casts serious aspersion on the kind of democracy we practice.

Furthermore, it makes it a bit hypocritical for those who did not turn out to vote to criticize those who were elected through the same process that they shunned. As it is often said, ‘you cannot eat your cake and have it’.

Many factors are responsible for voters’ apathy in the country. Some are of the view that their votes do not really count. They believe, either rightly or wrongly, that the outcome of most elections are pre-determined.

In addition, some believe that the electoral process is replete with violence, while some consider the political class undeserving of their time because of their perceived insincerity to electoral promises.

Equally, especially, in the case of Local Council elections, many are of the view that that tier of government does not really do much to deserve anyone’s trouble.

However, irrespective of the validity of the reasons, as highlighted above, it is counterproductive for the people to shun polls in a democracy. Some people gave their lives for the democracy that we enjoy today. It is, therefore, a great injustice to their memories, if this culture of voters’ apathy continues.

If democracy is to truly be the government of the people and for the people, the people must own the process from the beginning to the end. Active involvement in the political process signifies that everyone is a critical stakeholder, having the best interest of the country at heart. It is a practical demonstration of being a responsible citizen.

To lure the people back to the polls, elected political leaders at all levels, should not take the electorates for granted. It is sheer treachery for an elected leader to ignore his/her electoral promises while in power.

Compatriots who ignore all difficulties in order to participate in voting ought to be given a better deal. In addition, to give credibility to the electoral process, the practice of turning elections into a ‘do or die’ affair should be discouraged.

Additionally, INEC, political parties, the civil society, the press and other stakeholders should give greater attention to voters’ education as well as other enlightenment campaigns that could re-enact the confidence of the people in the electoral process.

It is important to stress that the worst illiterate is the political illiterate who take no part in the political process. Sadly, he does not understand that everything depends on political decisions.

Unfortunately, the politically dormant even prides himself on his political ignorance by openly sticking out his chest that he hates politics. He does not know that from his political apathy comes the prostitute, the abandoned child, the robber and worst of all, corrupt and incompetent public officials.

Democracy is best defended by those it is meant for; the people. But for democracy to really serve the interest of the people, they must respect all democratic norms and principles. Today, we all look at some of the advanced democracies of the world with envy.

The truth, however, is that they have achieved greatness through the strengthening of grassroots democracy. Of course, there is no other way through which democracy could be strengthened other than involvement of the majority in democratic process.

Ogunbiyi is Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

ELECTION CAMPAIGN POSTERS IN NIGERIA POLITICS

With political candidates and elections featuring heavily in the news at the moment, now is a good time for those involved in politics to consider promoting their campaigns through poster advertising.

Political campaign posters in Lagos-Nigeria, are always important tools for marketing a political campaign for politicians, political parties and for getting a candidate's name known to the Nigeria voting public.

Election campaign posters in Nigeria are posted in public areas, highways, bridges, bus-stops, terminals, conspicuous walls, popular roads, streets and junctions in a community, printed on bond materials in A1, A2, portrait and landscape sizes, and made into signs, and are used to decorate a campaign office and other public areas.

Political election campaign posters in Lagos, Nigeria are certainly nothing new - for as long as there have been political events, rivals, primary and general elections, posters have been used to either build up a candidate chances of winning or to criticize an opponent.

The posters that political parties/campaigns put out for their candidates are designed to show him or her in the best light possible. They choose the best photograph of the candidate, vibrant and youthful to put on the poster. This is usually accompanied by the campaign slogan or a listing of the candidate’s policies, promises, beliefs, party logo and manifestoes.

Deciding what to put on a poster can make a difference to how a candidate is perceived during political campaign in Lagos, Nigeria and during voting in 2023 general election in Nigeria.

That is why it is likely and pertinent that all campaign organizers, politicians, political parties, party faithfuls and supporters, printers consult with professional poster pasting company in Lagos-Nigeria, to professionally paste their 2023 election posters in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and other cities across Nigeria.

We are Symmetric Communications, we have uncommon experience and expertise in pasting political posters for presidential, senatorial, governorship, national and state houses of assembly, chairmanship and councillorship elections and poster pasting across Nigeria.

WE have a lot of experience in campaign poster pasting for all political parties in Nigeria. We know the correct location and public area to paste your campaign posters in Lagos, Nigeria. We use the appropriate pasting materials and technology to paste and integrate, the right spacing to blend together, and to make a campaign poster stand out.

We are Symmetric Communications, a pioneer and founding member of the Association of Poster Distributors of Lagos State.

WE ARE THE BEST POSTER PASTING COMPANY/AGENCY IN LAGOS, NIGERIA & AFRICA.

Contact us..

BRT BUS BRANDING ADVERTISING IN LAGOS

BRT ADVERT RATE

*BRT Exterior*
- Primero: N285,000 per bus/ per month

- LBR Larger: N290,000 per bus/ per month

- LBR Medium: N260,000 per bus/ per month

*BRT Interior*
- Primero - N160,000 per bus/ per month

*BRT TV*
- 2 week Campaign: N1,600,000 (all available buses) Primero only

- Monthly Campaign N2,700,000 (all available buses) Primero Only

VAT: 7.5)
(applicable to all campaign)

Regards,

Ernest Nwafor,

Corporate Communication Manager,
Symmetric Communications,
Suite 35, Mota Complex,
Opp Harmony Estate,
Ifako-Gbagada,
Lagos.

We offer outdoor advertising services: flyer, leaflet, handbill distribution, sticker pasting, billboard advertising, BRT bus branding, street lamppost, banner hosting, poster pasting, transit advertising, newspaper flyer insertion, etc.

FLYERS DISTRIBUTION IN LEKKI

2 skaters to distribute 1000 fliers this morning around Pacific Mall, Ilasan Lekki, Lagos.

Share to offices, people passing by and vehicle traffic on the express.

Pictures and video should be taken at the point of distribution.

WE SHARE FLYERS IN LEKKI ON SKATE

HIRE PROFESSIONAL SKATERS & DANCERS FOR A ROAD SHOW

The road show will cover the following axis in Lagos:

- Ojodu-Berger
- Berger express
- ALAUSA
- Agidingbi
- Wemco
- Ogba
- Back to Grammar school Ojodu

Branded T-shirt, Face Caps and Banners will be used to enhance publicity and visibility

Duration: Five (5) hours

Pictures and videos will be captured and sent to client as proof of execution.

#roadshow
#flyerdistribution
#dancers
#hireskaters
#sharefliers

Contact:
Symmetric Outdoors.

DISTRIBUTION OF 1500 FLYERS IN CHURCHES IN LEKKI SUNDAY

- The Present House, Lekki: 150 flyers

- House On The Rock, The Rock Cathedral, Ikate-Elegushi, Lekki: 150 Flyers

- Elevation Church, The Pistis Conference Centre, 1 Elevation/Resurrection Drive, between 4th and 5th Roundabout, Lekki: 150 Flyers

- Church of the Assumption, Falomo. Ikoyi: 150 Flyers

- Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos: 150 Flyers

- Harvesters Church Lekki: 150 Flyers

- David Christain Center Opposite The Monarch event center: 150 Flyers

- RCCG (City of David Parish): 150 Flyers

- Divine Mercy Catholic Church, Lekki: 150 Flyers

- RCCG (The Kings Court): 150 Flyers

*Total Number of Flyers: 1500*

*Total Number of Skaters: 6(Six) Skaters*

*1000 FLYERS TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN LAGOS STATE*

- Ikeja, 250 Flyers: 2 Skaters

- Yaba, 250 Flyers: 2 Skaters

- Surulere, 250 Flyers: 2 Skaters

- Lekki, 250 Flyers: 2 Skaters

*Means of Evaluation:*
Pictures & Video

*Duration:*
2-Days

*Extra Publicity [FOC]:*
Branded T-shirts, Status Activation, Nairaland Upload, Facebook Page Upload

Hire Professional Skaters for all events in Lagos and it's environs.

Contact:
Symmetric Communications.