The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda has advocated for early through which thousands of eligible voters, who play critical roles in in safeguarding the election process, and other citizens are able to cast their ballots.
He blamed low voter turnout on the inability of thousands of ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security personnel, civil society observers, medical doctors, journalists and other essential support staff who are deployed for election duties and therefore unable to vote. He described these facts as a fundamental concern about Nigeria’s electoral process, and a major but often ignored contributor to poor voter turnout.
At this year’s first quarterly meeting of registered party leaders and INEC at the commissions’ national headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Yilwatda said that the categories of citizens he listed are later counted among those blamed for voter apathy, even though their absence from the polling booth is a direct consequence of national service.
Responding, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan agreed that early voting is one reform that could potentially accommodate election-day workers. He, however, noted that, by the time he assumed office, work on the Electoral Bill had largely been completed.
The INEC boss explained that, while the idea of early voting had been considered, it raised serious operational and cultural concerns.
He cautioned against a system where votes are cast early and ‘warehoused’ for counting after the general election. Such an arrangement, he warned, could expose the process to abuse, manipulation and loss of public trust, with fears that ‘huge votes could suddenly appear from somewhere’.
At the heart of the matter, he said, is Nigeria’s electoral culture. Nigerians, he observed, are deeply invested in real-time voting and counting, wanting to see results as they emerge.
Amupitan said that until the country builds a culture and system that enjoys absolute public confidence and is seen as incorruptible, adopting early voting may remain difficult.
The INEC Chairman also highlighted the heavy financial implications of conducting elections in a single day nationwide. He explained that doing so would require the commission to almost double its electoral materials, since the current staggered process allows for the reuse of some equipment.
A one-day election, he said, would significantly increase the cost of elections and place enormous pressure on resources.
Yilwatda emphasised that Nigeria must confront these realities honestly, balancing inclusivity, credibility, cost and culture, if the nation is serious about strengthening its democracy and ensuring that no citizen is excluded from the ballot by virtue of service to the country.
