{
  "id": 14707230,
  "title": "2027: Many Nigerians believe their votes won’t count – CSO warns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/2027-many-nigerians-believe-their-votes-wont-count-cso-warns",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-15T13:39:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/15/2027-many-nigerians-believe-their-votes-wont-count-cso-warns/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A democracy watchdog group, the Kimpact Development Initiative, has warned that a significant portion of Nigerians now doubt that their votes will be recognized in the 2027 general elections. In a recent interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, Umar Dan'Assabe Muhammed, KDI's Senior Programme Manager for Democratic Accountability and Elections, highlighted that this lack of faith could further dampen voter turnout.\n\nMuhammed pointed out that, since the inception of Nigeria's democracy in 1999, voter turnout has consistently been a major challenge. He attributed this decline to voter dissatisfaction with governance and the poor performance of elected officials. Furthermore, he suggested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also contributed to voter disengagement through its procedures.\n\nThe senior official outlined several factors that could deter voters, including cumbersome Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection processes, inadequate voter education, and the fear of electoral violence. Some eligible voters face obstacles in accessing collection centers, while others become discouraged due to distance, cost, and insufficient information about the voting process. Muhammed also noted that some individuals register simply to obtain a form of identification rather than to actively participate in the electoral process.\n\nDespite recent improvements by INEC, such as online registration and biometric capture, Muhammed emphasized that voter education remains a critical gap. He urged INEC, the National Orientation Agency, political parties, civil society organizations, and the media to collaborate in informing citizens about their voting rights and the electoral process. He criticized political parties for engaging in negative campaigning rather than addressing citizens' concerns.\n\nMuhammed highlighted the 2023 presidential election and Peter Obi's campaign as examples of how social media can encourage political participation. However, he cautioned that online popularity does not guarantee electoral success. He listed physical attacks, destruction of campaign materials, and vote buying as practices that damage voter confidence and discourage turnout. Muhammed called on INEC, security agencies, political parties, and citizens to collaborate in enhancing voter education and fostering peaceful elections ahead of the 2027 polls.",
  "summary": "A democracy advocacy group, Kimpact Development Initiative, KDI, has expressed concern that many Nigerians believe their votes will not count in the 2027 general elections. The civic group warned that the development could worsen voter apathy. Senior Programme Manager, Democratic Accountability and Elections at KDI, Umar Dan’Assabe Muhammed, raised the concern on Thursday while speaking on […]…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}