It is Unhealthy that 25% of Citizens Choose next Governor
By Oghenekevwe Kofi
The Edo State governorship election held last Saturday, September 21, 2024, was characterized by low voter turnout, logistic issues, and heavy rainfall that affected the voting process. Despite having 2,629,025 registered voters, only a fraction of them showed up to cast their votes, with less than 600,000 ballots recorded.
This abysmal citizens’ participation reflects a disturbing persistent issue of voter apathy in the state, where many eligible voters stayed at home, monitoring the elections through social media or news channels like Channels TV, AIT, News Central, and Arise TV.
A significant minority of voters were reported to have accepted money in exchange for their votes, but this group was small compared to the broader population that remained disengaged.
Another issue that contributed to the poor turnout was the lack of mobilization by political parties, who failed to encourage their supporters to come out and vote on election day.
To make matters worse, election materials arrived late at several polling units, leading to delayed voting. Heavy rainfall across the state compounded the situation, keeping many voters indoors during the crucial hours of the election. This delay and the weather disruption further discouraged voters’ participation.
Voters’ turnout has been declining in Edo State for years. In 2016, 32.7% of registered voters turned out to vote, a figure that dropped to 24.5% in 2020. The 2024 election saw a modest rise to 25.37%, but this still means that roughly 75% of registered voters did not participate.
The final results showed APC’s Okpebholo winning with 291,667 votes, defeating PDP’s Asue Ighodalo, who garnered 247,274 votes. Despite a 4.9% increase in registered voters since 2023, the disengagement of Edo’s electorate remains a pressing concern.
Youths aged 18 to 35, who account for 37.4% of registered voters, were particularly absent from the polls, highlighting the need for greater political engagement in the state.
