Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi said the need for social change and economic freedom contributed to pushing up INEC voter registrations for the 2023 general elections, even as youths make up a large number of those registered.
Peter Obi disclosed this on Monday during his speech at Chatham House in London.
He further noted that Nigerian youths are frustrated and unhappy with the lack of opportunities.
High registration: He noted the low voter turnout had become a burden in Nigerian democracy but has recently witnessed a turnaround as more Nigerians, particularly the youth register to vote.
- “Nigerian democracy had been on the wane evident in low voter turnout, but this seems to have turned around dramatically last year,
- “Allowing INEC to register about 12 million new voters with many more who wished they had registered”.
Lack of Opportunities: He noted that the youth were frustrated, even as the internet also contributed by revealing global opportunities to them.
- “The reason for this very high stakes is the youth frustrated and unhappy with the lack of opportunities. The internet can easily reveal to them prosperous countries.”
Social mobility: He added the same situation can also be seen across Africa, as the Youth yearn for social mobility and freedom
- “The demography is driving change of democracy in Africa, elections have happened as establishment parties turned. It is this change that my vision is rooted in the scope for social mobility and freedom in Nigeria for youths and women. The wind of change in Africa sees the ballot box as instrumental to changing bad leadership,” he added.
What you should know: INEC recently presented a register containing 93,469,008 voters for the 2023 general elections with 44,414,846 voters registered as females, and 49,054,162 voters registered as males.
- Of the total registered voters, the number of young people between the ages of 18 and 34 stood at 37,060,399, representing 39.65% of total registered voters while the elderly between the ages of 50 and 69 stood at 17,700,270, representing 18.94% of the total registered voters.
- The INEC chairman said with the presentation of the voter register, the commission has successfully implemented 11 out of the 14 activities scheduled for the 2023 general elections.
