Ondo LG polls: Voter apathy looms as residents decry lack of sensitisation

With the electorate set to elect chairmen and councillors across the 18 local council areas and 203 wards of Ondo State, some residents have disclosed that they were not aware that the election would be held on Saturday.

While speaking to The Guardian, the residents expressed dismay over the inactive sensitisation on the part of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) and the lack of engagement of the electorate on the part of the participating 13 political parties.

According to them, they got to know that the council election will be held following the widely reported withdrawal of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the poll.

The participating political parties were also berated over the alleged failure to connect with the electorate with most of the residents stressing that they had not seen any campaign activities or outreach efforts from the candidates contesting for the chairmanship and councillorship positions.

Following the development, voter apathy might affect the process due to the absence of effective voter sensitisation campaigns prior to the poll.

A residents of the state who gave his name as Bode Adubiaro stated that “Although I knew that local government election will be held but I never knew that it is this Saturday.

“It was when the PDP said they won’t be taking part that I asked a friend if the election is truly on Saturday. There are no campaigns and even pasting of posters anywhere.

Similarly, a secondary school teacher in the Oba-Ile axis of the Akure North local council lamented that such elections ought to be the most crucial, but no one seems to be interested in what happens at the grassroots in terms of political direction.

“This is supposed to be a crucial election but it feels like a mere formality. I haven’t seen any political rallies or door-to-door campaigns.”

Also, civil servant Kayode Oni said, “What’s the point of voting if we don’t even know who is running or what they stand for? Why stress myself unnecessarily when they don’t bother about us voting?

Meanwhile, the Chairman of ODIEC in the State, Joseph Aremo, stated that the poll will serve as a benchmark for future elections across the country in demonstration that the state is committed to democratic principles.

He said, “It is important to note that the elections are a collective responsibility. Every effort has been made to maintain peace and ensure that the electorate feels safe to participate.

“As I have always said, sovereignty ultimately belongs to the people. Our job is to provide a platform where voters can freely exercise their rights.”