The Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has warned that voter turnout in the 2027 general elections could decline sharply if Nigerians believe the outcome is already predetermined in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, Onaiyekan said any perception that the ruling party is guaranteed victory would discourage citizens from participating in the electoral process and ultimately weaken the legitimacy of the government that emerges.
“My fear is that if it becomes very clear to Nigerians that no matter what happens, the APC will win, then most people won’t even bother to go to the election. And even if the government, the real power wins, it will not bring a real victory actually. And it is not going to be possible to deliver good government,” he said.
The Cardinal stressed that restoring public confidence in the electoral process is essential for democracy to thrive, insisting that only free, fair and credible elections can produce good governance.
“Genuine democracy is built on free and fair elections. Any democracy that cannot do free, fair, and credible election cannot come up with good governance. Elections have consequences. Bad elections lead to bad governance and bad governance leads to misery among the people,” he stated.
According to Onaiyekan, Nigeria has yet to conduct a truly free and fair election, arguing that declining voter turnout reflects growing public distrust in the electoral system.
He urged the government to restore confidence in the electoral process before the 2027 polls.
“It is in our interest, and the government who has all the powers, to please make sure that the trust of the people in the electoral process is restored, so that we can get at least 50% of Nigerians voting. If the electoral field is seen to be fair and equal for everybody, then people will know that their votes will count.”
The cleric noted that elected governments derive their legitimacy from the people and must remain accountable through credible elections.
Drawing comparisons with established democracies such as the United Kingdom, Onaiyekan said regular alternation of power strengthens democratic institutions and national development.
He also argued that the credibility of elections depends not only on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) but also on the conduct of security agencies during elections.
“Even if INEC is neutral, the election outcome is also affected by the activities and the performance of the security agents who claim to be securing the election, but who often end up intimidating people with sirens all over the place, which doesn’t happen in decent democracies.”
The Cardinal renewed his call for comprehensive electoral reforms, particularly regarding the appointment of INEC’s leadership.
“We know that the government in power appoints the INEC. We have to figure a way out of that because if the government in power appoints the INEC, then it’s difficult to have a fair game, unless you have a very strong chairman of INEC who decides to stand up against all pressures.”
Speaking on the forthcoming August 15 Osun State governorship election, where he recently participated in facilitating the signing of a peace accord by political parties, Onaiyekan admitted that such agreements have often failed to prevent election violence but said they remain important moral commitments.
He appealed to political actors to allow voters exercise their democratic rights peacefully and reminded politicians that public service—not the pursuit of power—should remain the true purpose of politics.
“We are only praying and hoping that at least it will allow peace to reign and allow the poor people to do their voting while the politicians will hold their gun and not destroy the whole situation because of their own political ambitions,” he said…..see more