INEC Blames Ageing, Not Apathy, For Drop In Youth Voter Share

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has attributed the decline within the proportion of younger voters forward of the 2027 normal election to ageing amongst beforehand registered youths, insisting that the event doesn’t essentially point out declining curiosity in elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, gave the reason on Tuesday throughout the grand finale of the fee’s Campus Debate held on the Law Theatre, University of Abuja.

According to the fee, younger individuals at the moment account for 29.79 per cent of the voters’ register being ready for the 2027 elections, in contrast with 39.65 per cent recorded within the 2023 normal election.

Amupitan defined that the distinction was largely as a result of motion of people that have been categorized as youths in 2023 into older age brackets.

He mentioned, “Some questions have been asked, why has the number reduced compared to what we have in 2023? But the truth of the matter is that there has been progressive migration of the categories of persons that were youth in 2023, they have now migrated into different age groups.”

The INEC chairman famous that the present register was present process evaluation by way of the claims and objections course of.

He disclosed that the fee organised the campus debate as a part of efforts to handle voter apathy amongst younger Nigerians and enhance their understanding of the electoral course of.

Amupitan additionally expressed concern over the restricted data of some younger individuals in regards to the electoral fee and its management, stressing the significance of sustained voter training.

The University of Jos emerged winner of the controversy, whereas Bayero University, Kano, completed second. The University of Ibadan got here third, adopted by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The debate was held beneath the theme, “Nigeria’s Electoral Process and Democracy.”