Lawrence Ndubeze, Awka
The Catch Them Young Community Initiative (CATYCOI), a youth-led, non-profit, non-partisan, and community-based organization, has expressed concern over the commitment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to addressing voter apathy ahead of the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State.
Executive Director of CATYCOI, Comrade Nonso Orakwe, raised the concern on Thursday during a Stakeholders’ Forum and Press Briefing organized under the Campaign Against Voter Apathy (CAVA) project in the state.
The project, themed “Strengthening Citizens’ Participation in the 2025 Anambra Gubernatorial Elections,” is being implemented in partnership with LEAP Africa, a non-profit organization.
Orakwe accused INEC of failing to participate in citizens’ sensitization programmes designed to promote active electoral participation, saying such negligence undermines efforts to combat voter apathy.
“Catch Them Young Community Initiative, as an institution committed to promoting good governance in the South-East, has invited INEC severally to sensitize stakeholders on election preparedness, but they have failed to honour our invitations,” he said.
He recalled that the 2021 Anambra governorship election witnessed a “historic low” voter turnout, with only about 10 percent of registered voters participating.
According to Orakwe, INEC’s continued absence from voter engagement activities is discouraging.
“This is not the first time. Even in 2021, during the election that brought in the current administration, we invited them to brief citizens on their level of preparedness, but they were nowhere to be found.
“We don’t know what is happening, but it is unlikely that all INEC staff are engaged at the same time. They could at least send a representative. Unfortunately, they have not done so.
“When we go to the field, citizens expect us to provide information about the Commission’s plans, but since INEC has not attended our meetings, we lack the necessary details to motivate voters.”
Orakwe warned that INEC’s persistent absence might negatively affect voter turnout in the forthcoming poll. He, however, expressed optimism in the resilience of Anambra citizens, saying they remain committed to building a better society through democracy.
Speaking at the event, LEAP Africa’s Programmes and Policy Coordinator, Haruna Godiya, decried the growing voter apathy among youths in Anambra, attributing it to trust deficit and insecurity.
“The challenge has been social issues such as lack of trust and insecurity. However, progress has been recorded in areas like the adoption of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other digital innovations,” he said.
“We must all be the change we wish to see. Participate fully so that the sacrifices of our heroes past—Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Chief Nwafor Orizu, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Dora Akunyili, and others—will not be in vain.”
Also speaking, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State Council, Dr. Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, warned that continued voter apathy would hinder the change citizens desire. He urged young people to serve as anti-apathy ambassadors by mobilizing others to participate in the electoral process.
Delivering a keynote address titled, “Building Public Trust for a Credible Electoral Process,” veteran journalist Dr. Dennis Ekemezie noted that Anambra had witnessed fairly credible elections in the past decade, but called for more civic participation to consolidate democratic gains.
In his remarks, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edwin Okadigbo, assured citizens of the Corps’ readiness to protect lives and property before, during, and after the election. He urged voters to turn out en masse to vote for candidates of their choice.
Similarly, State Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Comrade Ugochukwu Okeke, disclosed that over 1,000 persons with disabilities are ready to participate in the election. He commended INEC for involving PWDs in voter registration, training, and voter education.
“Our collaboration with election agencies has greatly improved. We plan to use our numbers to make a political statement during the election so that we can push for our demands afterward,” he said.
Other stakeholders, including the Anambra State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Edozie Ajaegbu, and the State Chairperson of the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Hajia Khadijat Olahan, also emphasized the need for intensified voter sensitization to ensure a credible and inclusive electoral process in the state.
