The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that it is embarking on aggressive voter education as a means of addressing the noticeable voters’ apathy in Anambra State on the road to the November 16, 2013 governorship election in the state.
INEC’s Resident Commissioner in the state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu, disclosed this on Monday at the Civil Society/INEC dialogue on Anambra State governorship election, held in Abuja.
According to Onukaogu had this to say about the voter turn out during the last elections in the state: “While 1.71 million people registered, only 492,750 votes were cast.
“Similarly, in the federal constituency election, out of the 746,230 registered voters, only 244,934 votes were cast.
“In other words, only 31.2 per cent of the registered voters voted in the federal constituency election.
“Out of the 607,415 registered voters in Anambra North Senatorial Zone, only 162,481 votes were cast.
“That is to say only 26.7 per cent registered voters voted.
“In the Anambra Central Senatorial Zone, only 621,992 people registered to vote.
“However only 194,485 persons voted.
“That is to say only 31.3 per cent voted.
“In the Anambra South Senatorial Zone, out of the 532,905 registered voters, only 163,999 persons voted.
“In other words, only 30.8 per cent of registered voters voted during the election.”
Onukaogu, however, assured stakeholders that the trend “must be halted through an appropriate voter education programme if the generality of the people of Anambra State are to begin to participate actively in elections by casting their votes.
“No matter how well prepared we are and no matter how well intentioned we as an election management body are, it is the people of Anambra State who must vote and usher in the governor.
“Unless the people in Anambra state turn out in mass to vote, the outcome of the election cannot reflect the real choice of the people.
“The people of the state must be enthused to vote.”
The REC said further that INEC in the state has “embarked on a vigorous voter education programme.
“We have developed a unique education package specifically tailored to empower the electorate in Anambra State to understand appropriate, value and implement all aspect s of our electoral process.
“Our voter education package is streamlined in the context of history, citizenship education, social studies and the constitution of the country (INEC, 2007, 2008).
“We have therefore, in our voter education package tried to empower the electorate in Anambra State with the knowledge, attitudes and skills for optimal and maximal operation in the electoral process and to make the electorate eager, serious and enthusiastic in participating in local, state and federal government elections.”
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