Voter Apathy: Lessons From Kano, Rivers And Abuja Polls

Saturday, 21 February 2026, came with some not-so-talked-about elections in different parts of Nigeria. Kano and Rivers states had by-elections to fill vacant seats in their respective state Houses of Assembly, while Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, had Area Council elections to usher in those to steer the leadership of the capital’s six area councils. Both elections were described by various reports as “peaceful” by officials and observers. However, one phrase that mainly characterised the three elections, from Abuja to Kano to Rivers, was “low voter turnout.” What could have been the reason for the low voter turnout as we approach the 2027 general elections?

In trying to understand what was responsible for people staying back in their residences or shunning the polling units to continue their daily activities instead of exercising their crucial constitutional right, three important factors stand out. First, in the case of Kano, an apex INEC official in the state made it clear to journalists that what was responsible for the low voter turnout was the election being conducted in the month of Ramadan, when Muslims generally fast, and also the fact that major opposition parties in the state, ADC, NNPP, and PDP, were not on the ballot.

For Rivers, nothing specific was clearly indicated by the swathe of reports as being responsible for the people’s apathy.

SPONSOR AD

In Abuja, opposition parties, particularly the ADC, accused authorities of voter intimidation, largely citing the appearance of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, at polling units. But could this be a genuine reason for low voter turnout in Abuja? Other analysts say that, just like Kano, Muslims fasting could have been another reason for Abuja’s situation. A former senator, Shehu Sani, justified the low turnout by saying that Abuja residents are normally uninterested in voting during elections. Should that be accepted as a sufficient explanation?

Another reason given by some is that Nigerians, especially low-income earners who constitute the lion’s share of voters, are growing weary of the country’s political system and developing apathy due to the attitudes and behaviour of the ruling class. So many developments have occurred from 2023 to date which have changed the tempo of Nigerian politics and served as an eye-opener for voters about the broader picture of the system. When the majority of citizens begin to feel that electoral outcomes do not significantly alter governance realities, withdrawal can quietly replace participation.

However, we cannot limit the low voter turnout to just the coincidence with the fasting period. After all, the same pattern of low turnout in Abuja and Rivers compelled writing this piece. Therefore, beyond Ramadan, I personally subscribe to the opinion of those who say that Nigerians are gradually developing apathy as a result of the attitudes of the ruling class, which I consider very unhealthy for democracy. Many citizens increasingly question whether electoral participation translates into tangible improvements in their daily lives. Politics apart, several governance policies and gestures are not in favour of the masses. Thus, they may feel justified in shunning the elections altogether to express their grievances.

What is most important, however, is for the federal government, INEC, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, and political parties, both ruling and opposition, to reflect seriously on these elections that recorded low voter turnout despite occurring in different geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The reasons stated here may be the actual triggers of voter apathy, and there could be more overt or covert factors. If this pattern is not interrogated and addressed ahead of 2027, low participation may gradually become normalised, with long-term implications for democratic legitimacy and citizen trust in public institutions.

 Isah Kamisu Madachi wrote from Abuja via [email protected]