Th chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega has that there was still an intolerable high degree of apathy and low level of participation in the electoral process in the country.
Prof. Jega who made the remark at the opening of a two-day retreat of the National Inter-Agency Advisory Committee on Voter Education and Publicity, in Calabar, Cross River State, expressed concern that in spite of the enormous resources to voter and civic education being committed by the commission and other bodies, the level of apathy was still high.
“In our elections, there is still a high degree of apathy, an intolerably high percentage of voided votes traceable to limited knowledge and awareness.
“Few females are participating in elections as candidates and other disadvantage groups still feel left out of the process,” he said.
Jega, represented by Dr Chris Iyimoga, National Commissioner in charge of Publicity, said the electoral process was still being hampered by corruption, vote buying, snatching of electoral materials, intimidation and threat, among others.
He said that what these irregularities indicated was that the current strategies for meeting the challenges “have not been altogether successful.”
“There is, therefore, the need to identify and close the gaps in our overall voter education programme and develop one that is not reactive but pro-active in its approach, responsive in its deployment, effective and sustainable.”
He charged the meeting not to shy away from acknowledging existing shortcomings but confront them to meet the aspiration of the people.
In his keynote address, Dr Tom Adaba, former Director General, National Broadcasting Commission, called on INEC and media organisation in the country to make voter education a continuous process rather than the current periodic exercise.
He said there was also the need for collaboration between INEC and the media to make debates among the various political parties a regular and possibly mandatory from presidency to local government.
Adaba also called for the immediate issuance of licenses for the establishment of community radios as a way of influencing and deepening democracy in the country.
Also speaking, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross River, Mike Igini, said the committee was a partnership that was expected to take voter education beyond its present level.
He said democracy could only thrive better where the electorate got all the necessary information that would enable him/her make good choice.
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