…Urges eligible Nigerian yet registered or updated necessary voter information to do so before INEC deadline

 

As Nigeria approaches the 2027 General Elections, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN)) has warned of the waning public confidence in the electoral process , stressing that democracy fails when citizens lose faith in the power of the ballot.

With only two days away from the close of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, CSN called on every eligible Nigerian who has not yet registered or updated the necessary voter information should do so before the deadline.

Secretary General of CSN Rev. Fr Michael Banjo who gave the warning at the Close of the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of CSN on Friday in Abuja, stated that Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads adding that the greatest threat to our democracy today is not merely electoral malpractice on election day, but the growing erosion of public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process.

Banjo lamented that too many Nigerians have become disillusioned, believing that their votes no longer matter, that public institutions cannot be trusted, and that politics serves only narrow interests rather than the common good.

He said, “Yet withdrawing from the democratic process is not the answer. When good citizens step back, poor leadership flourishes. Political apathy only deepens the very governance failures we lament. As Pope Francis reminds us in Fratelli Tutti, none of us can remain on the sidelines when the common good is at stake”.

” It was against this background that Directors of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) from Catholic dioceses across Nigeria, together with the Provincial Coordinators of our nine Ecclesiastical Provinces, met in Abuja under the theme: “Towards the 2027 General Elections: The Imperatives of JDPC Participation and Civic Engagement.” Guided by Catholic Social Teaching, we reflected on the challenges confronting our democracy and reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to justice, credible elections and responsible citizenship”.

He noted that with only two days away from the close of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, every eligible Nigerian who has not yet registered or updated the necessary voter information should do so before the deadline.

Banjo told Nigerians that participation in the electoral process begins with registration, hence the need to get registered adding that the Catholic Church has mobilised her parishes, institutions and lay organisations to promote voter registration and civic participation across the country.

He urged to INEC to uphold professionalism, transparency and faithful compliance with the Electoral Act and its Guidelines and appealed to the judiciary to ensure timely, impartial and courageous administration of electoral justice, recognising that confidence in democracy depends upon confidence in both the electoral process and the rule of law.

Banjo appealed to security agencies to show neutrality, professionalism and respect for the rights of every citizen, so that Nigerians may exercise their civic responsibilities freely and without fear.

“To political parties and candidates, we call for campaigns marked by civility, truthfulness and respect for human dignity. Elections should unite rather than divide our people and should never become occasions for violence, intimidation or manipulation. Finally, to every Nigerian, we say: reject hopelessness. Register. Vote. Reject every attempt to buy your conscience. Participate peacefully. Hold leaders accountable before, during and after elections. Democracy is strongest when good citizens refuse to be silent”.

The Secretary General noted that in many dioceses, the organisation has collaborated with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to facilitate registration and transfers, while our priests and lay faithful continue to encourage responsible citizenship through parish announcements, community engagement and public awareness campaigns.

He emphasized the need to make every reasonable effort to ensure that no eligible Nigerian is unnecessarily excluded from the electoral process.
“Yet voter registration alone is not enough. Our greater task is rebuilding confidence in the democratic process.

Following our deliberations, the Justice, Development and Peace Commission proposes a Five-Pillar Framework for strengthening democratic participation and rebuilding public trust ahead of the 2027 General Elections, including restoring Confidence in Democratic Participation, ensuring the timely resolution of electoral disputes, promoting electoral Integrity, transparency and accountability, compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines, transparent result management, professional election administration, credible observation and accountability for electoral offences”.

Banjo stressed the need to ensure compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC Guidelines, transparent result management, professional election administration, credible observation and accountability for electoral offences and strengthening Conscience Formation, Grassroots Civic Education and Peacebuilding.

These priorities reflect our conviction that rebuilding democracy is a shared responsibility. Government, electoral institutions, political parties, civil society, the media, citizens and the Church all have distinct but complementary roles to play”, he added.

Also speaking, the National Director of Communication of CSN, Fr Michael Umoh who cautioned against any attempt to misunderstand the role of the Catholic, said. ” Our number is used to increase level of outreach and mobilization for civic formation. and monitoring, not number from the angle of a political party trying to overturn or whatever. Whatever is to be overturned in our minds is to overturn evil for good. good. The church must not be seen as a political party, and worst still as an opposition, this is what the church can do, and this is what the church is doing to educate the people on their civic responsibility. And we are just hoping people will understand this this”.