The recent proposal to criminalise citizens who abstain from voting is not only tone-deaf but a dangerous deflection from the systemic failures that have fueled electoral apathy in Nigeria, a political analyst and Chancellor, International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights (ISSJHR), Dr Omenazu Jackson, has said.
According to Jackson, rather than confronting the root causes of mass voter disengagement, the National Assembly seems to be punishing victims of a broken political system, warning that criminalising abstention is not a solution to the nation’s voters’ apathy but an insult to an already betrayed citizenry.
He said that electoral apathy in Nigeria is not born out of laziness or indifference but a direct response to repeated betrayals, selective justice, unkept promises, and institutions that serve power rather than the people.
“How can we demand civic responsibility from citizens when the state consistently fails to punish electoral offenders who subvert the democratic process with impunity? Ballot box snatchers, vote buyers, and their sponsors walk free, emboldened by a justice system that has become predictably silent at critical moments.
“Even more troubling is the undue influence political actors hold over the appointment of electoral officers. A process that should be neutral and sacrosanct has become a strategic extension of partisan control. When those who oversee elections are perceived to be loyal to the ruling elite, trust in the entire electoral process erodes. Citizens begin to see voting not as empowerment, but as endorsement of a pre-determined outcome,” he added.
He also blamed voter apathy on the grave issue of political parties that win elections under grandiose manifestos, only to govern with impunity and disregard.
Jackson described such as not just mere political inconsistency but a criminal breach of public trust, saying: “The social contract between the electorate and the elected is broken, yet no consequences follow. When there is no accountability, the ballot loses its meaning.
“To criminalise those who opt out of this compromised system is not just unjust—it is an amplified criminal boldness by a political class desperate to preserve legitimacy it has not earned. The state cannot force loyalty where it has failed to earn trust,” he stressed.
He reasoned that the path forward is not coercion but a reform, affirming that a genuine electoral reform can restore faith in democracy.
Also, he said, enforcing strict penalties against electoral offenders, regardless of political affiliation, may help.
“Transfer the power of appointing electoral officers to an independent and credible body. Enshrine legal consequences for political parties that abandon their manifestos. Foster transparency, trust, and participation through open governance and civic education,” he noted.
A resident, Mrs Agnes Nwakpo, blamed voter apathy on failure of the political class to serve the masses well and fraudulent electoral processes.
