Electoral College Nigeria (ECN) says the most significant takeaway from the Ekiti governorship election and concurrent by-elections held on June 20 is not the margin of victory recorded by the winning candidate but the “persistently” low voter turnout.
In a statement signed by Kunle Lawal, its executive director, the organisation said while the elections were largely peaceful and orderly, the low level of participation by eligible voters should worry stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general election.
ECN commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for improvements in logistics and election-day management but said broader democratic indicators must be considered when assessing the success of an election
The most important statistic from the election may not be the margin of victory but the number of citizens who chose not to participate,” the statement reads.
“This should concern every stakeholder in Nigeria’s democratic project.”
The organisation described low voter turnout as a “democratic emergency”, arguing that it reflects deeper concerns about public trust, civic culture and confidence in political institutions.
“Low turnout should therefore not be viewed as an administrative statistic. It should be viewed as a measure of democratic health,” the statement reads.
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