Declining voter turnout threatens democracy, governance — Otti

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has said Nigeria’s worsening economic challenges are the outcome of long-standing political choices, warning that rising voter apathy is worsening governance failures and deepening poverty, unemployment and institutional decay.

Otti spoke while delivering the 2026 annual lecture of The Niche titled: “Governing the Economy: Choices, Trade-offs, and National Priorities,” at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, on Thursday.

He warned that voter apathy had become a major threat to democratic accountability, noting that electoral participation had dropped sharply in recent years.

“Voter turnout over the last five general elections has fallen from 57 per cent in 2011 to less than 30 per cent in 2023.

“So what that means is that just about three of us out of 10 decide who governs us,” he added.

According to him, the implication is that a small fraction of the population now determines leadership outcomes, with far-reaching consequences for governance and economic performance.

“As stakeholders in the Nigerian project, we ought to be worried.

“The majority of our compatriots are increasingly shying away from participation in the political arena. This may be a good time to reconsider our attitude to the electoral process because so much, including our economic, security, and prosperity, is hinged on it,” he said.

Otti said political disengagement undermines accountability and allows poor leadership choices to persist, worsening national conditions.

“You cannot claim to love Nigeria, or your state, or the city where you reside, and yet remain aloof in critical matters such as leadership selection and the debates around it,” he said.

He stressed that civic responsibility extends beyond voting day, arguing that citizens must remain engaged throughout the political cycle.

“Political participation, however, is far beyond what happens at the polling booth where the final decision is made,” he said. “It is about the vigilance to keep the victors on their toes through legitimate channels of engagement.”

The governor further argued that ignorance or disinterest in candidates’ ideologies and track records contributes to poor leadership choices.

“Active citizenship demands that we dig deeper to know about the candidates and the political parties they represent, their economic philosophies, and just about every small piece of information that would help in shaping our decisions,” he said.

Otti also linked electoral malpractice and vote-buying to economic decline, warning that corruption in the political process produces leaders who prioritise personal recovery over public service.

“If we treat election seasons as bazaars, a time to extract and squeeze whatever we can from the system, it becomes inevitable that the primary pursuit of those who win elections will not be to serve the community, but to recoup what has been invested,” he said.

He argued that such systems weaken institutions and entrench poverty, noting that governance quality directly affects investor confidence and public welfare.

“It is impossible to separate incompetent political leadership from the manifestations of economic decline, such as widespread unemployment and reduced investment,” Otti said.

Otti maintained that Nigeria’s economic future will be determined not only by leaders but also by citizens’ willingness to participate meaningfully in democratic processes.

The governor urged Nigerians to see political participation as a civic duty with direct economic consequences, warning that disengagement guarantees worsening outcomes.

“Things will continue to deteriorate if we insist on staying away from the field of play,” he said. “Political processes and decisions require the collective input of every adult member of this society, for they are the ultimate determinants of our social and economic destinies.”

Otti also said the country’s economic difficulties could not be separated from political behaviour over decades, insisting that Nigerians must accept shared responsibility for national outcomes through active civic participation.

Otti said, “There is no silver bullet for southern Nigeria’s periods of economic challenges because economics is about good and bad, not about good and evil.

“With high levels of unemployment, especially among the youth population, rising incidents of poverty and growing sense of helplessness amongst our compatriots, it would be uncharitable to wish these uncertain realities away or imagine that waving a certain magic wand will make them go away.”

He cautioned against both pessimism and unrealistic optimism, stressing that Nigeria’s structural challenges required long-term discipline rather than quick fixes.

“I refuse to submit to the position of cynics who insist that our situation is entirely hopeless because it is not.

“Given that, I would also not take the overly optimistic view that the turnaround is imminent because that could be misleading,” he said.

Otti said Nigeria’s development trajectory is a direct reflection of political decisions taken over time, adding that decades of poor choices could not be reversed overnight.

“If you have behaved badly for over 60 years, then it will take you time to correct yourself.

“It is imperative to look beyond the layer of economic expediency and courageously make the tough decisions that would ultimately get us out of the woods,” he said.

A central theme of his address was the link between governance outcomes and citizen participation, particularly electoral engagement.

“If we have learned anything from the frustrations of the last six decades, it is the truth that there is a direct correlation between political choices and the daily experiences of the population,” Otti said.

He added that Nigeria’s recovery depends on informed leadership choices and sustained public pressure for accountability.

“When we consistently elect the right leaders, build independent institutions and cut out abuse by political actors, we can block channels of leakages and move closer to enduring prosperity,” he said.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who chaired the occasion, lamented that Nigeria’s politics had been turned into a business rather than a service.

He stressed that governance was a chance for politicians to leave a legacy, but noted a lack of character in politics.

Sanusi noted that the indices of burgeoning poverty and unemployment justified the fact that the nation was in an economic crisis.

The Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe, who was the royal father of the day, decried that public office holders played too much politics and gave little time to governance.

He decried that the nation was in serious trouble in the country, enjoining Nigerians to be wary of their choices of those who govern them.

Also at the event, Prof Anthony Kila anchored a panel discussion that featured the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero; associate professor at the University of Lagos, Dr Jumoke Ogunleye and a chartered accountant, Anogwi Anyanwu.

Dignitaries at the event hosted by the Managing Editor/Editor-in-Chief, The Niche, Mr Ikechukwu Amaechi, included Prof Pat Utomi, Dr Olisa Agbakoba, Gen Ike Nwachukwu (retd), Sam Ohuabunwa and Prof Remi Sonaiya, among others.