Commission Dismisses Claims of Voter Apathy, Cites Record-Breaking Registration and Diverse 2023 National Assembly
Abuja — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed widespread claims that Nigerians have lost faith in the electoral system, describing such allegations as “baseless propaganda” driven by political interests.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, in an exclusive chat with Vanguard on Sunday, September 28, 2025, insisted that recent figures from the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise prove otherwise.
> “The evidence is overwhelming. On the very first day the CVR portal went live, 69,376 Nigerians pre-registered in just seven hours. Within one week, over 1.3 million had signed up, and by the fifth week, more than 5.3 million citizens had uploaded their details. There is no African country that has recorded such figures within a month,” Oyekanmi declared.
He further revealed that 764,695 Nigerians completed their registration in person within the first month, either by finalizing their online pre-registration or registering physically, underscoring citizens’ commitment to shaping the nation’s political future.
Oyekanmi dismissed opposition critics as “double-faced,” accusing them of hypocrisy:
> “Some of the loudest voices criticizing INEC are the same people urging us to take over local government elections. They cannot continue to walk on both sides of the road.”
2023 Elections: Nigeria’s Most Diverse National Assembly Since 1999
Pointing to the 2023 general elections, Oyekanmi said the outcome was proof of INEC’s reforms and the vibrancy of Nigeria’s democracy. He highlighted the unprecedented diversity of political representation across the National Assembly:
Senate: APC – 59, PDP – 36, LP – 8, NNPP – 2, SDP – 2, APGA – 1, YPP – 1.
House of Representatives: APC – 177, PDP – 117, LP – 35, NNPP – 19, APGA – 5, ADC – 2, SDP – 2, YPP – 2.
On governorship contests, APC secured victory in 16 states, PDP in 10, LP in 1, and NNPP in 1. At the state assembly level, nine parties now hold seats, further signaling deepening pluralism.
“The recent bye-elections also show Nigerians are still eager to test their choices at the polls. Only a credible electoral process could deliver such competition,” he noted.
‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’
Oyekanmi urged critics to embrace the facts instead of propagating mistrust in the system:
> “The numbers don’t lie. Nigerians are still invested in their democracy, and INEC will continue to safeguard that trust.”
With millions still trooping to register, and election outcomes reflecting multi-party inclusiveness, INEC says the ballot remains the people’s most trusted weapon in shaping governance.
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