“No one can fight corruption for Nigerians except Nigerians... You can’t walk into a room and expect change if you’re not willing to speak the truth and hold steady in the discomfort.”
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
(Director-General WTO)
Dear {{First name|Active Citizen}},
Last Saturday, the FCT went to the polls.
Out of 1.68 million registered voters in the nation's capital; the seat of power, only 239,210 people showed up.
That is 14.2%.
This means that for every 100 people who could have voted in Abuja last Saturday, 86 of them stayed home.
And frankly, you don't need to rig an election with a 14% turnout. You don't need to tamper with BVAS, manipulate collation centres, or stuff ballot boxes. You just need a small, organised, loyal voting bloc, and the apathy of everyone else does the rest of the work for you.
Image Source: BBC News Pidgin
Low turnout is not just a sad statistic. It is a strategy. And whether we are playing into it consciously or not, the result is the same: the people who show up decide for the people who don't. Every single time.
This is how leaders who do not represent the majority keep getting elected by a minority. Not always through rigging, sometimes simply through arithmetic.
And this is the FCT we're talking about.
Home to Civil Servants, Activists, Students, Journalists, Lawyers, Politicians, and maybe some of the most politically aware Nigerians in the country.
If 14.2% is what civic engagement looks like there, what signal does that send to the rest of the country ahead of 2027?
We understand. The disillusionment can be real. You've probably watched elections being manipulated. You've seen your vote feel like it didn't matter.
But we know this one thing to be true: the answer to a broken system is not to abandon it to the people breaking it. Staying home doesn't punish them; it rewards them.
What 2027 Needs From You
The general elections are now less than a year away. Following the Electoral Act 2026, INEC has revised the timetable, moving the Presidential and National Assembly elections to January 16, 2027, and Governorship elections to February 6, 2027.
Sadly, the effects of voters' apathy don't affect just those who refuse to vote; it becomes a collective problem as we all deal with the decisions of the government chosen by the minority.
Image Source: The Guardian Nigeria
The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise is currently ongoing and runs until August 30, 2026. If you are not yet registered, that is your first step. You can pre-register online at cvr.inecnigeria.org and complete the process at any INEC office near you. If you are already registered, use this window to transfer your registration (if necessary), update your details, and make the necessary corrections on your PVC.
2027 is too important to not show up again. So, be there. With your PVC, at your polling unit, and if possible, at your collation centre.
The #OfficeOfTheCitizen is only as powerful as the citizens who choose to occupy it.
Image Source: Segun Joseph Akinwale on Facebook
We cannot out-complain a system that is designed to ignore us; we have to out-think it. This means, if low turnout is a strategy used by those who benefit from a broken system, then our response must be a superior strategy.
Showing up at the polls is only half the battle. This is why tomorrow, Saturday, the 28th of February, we are partnering with Zikoko for their 2nd edition of the CITIZEN TOWNHALL, themed: Who Decides Your Life As A Nigerian? This event promises to be insightful, engaging and enlightening.
EiE Nigeria is proud to be a Media Partner for this edition at Four Points by Sheraton, VI, Lagos. There is only a few hours left to secure your spot, and another chance to occupy your #OfficeOfTheCitizen.
Don't miss it!!!
In service of the #OfficeOfTheCitizen
The EiE Nigeria Team.
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