BEYOND VOTER REGISTRATION: WHY NIGERIANS WANT ASSURANCE THAT THEIR VOTES WILL TRULY COUNT
For many years, voter education in Nigeria has largely focused on informing citizens about how to register for the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), how to collect it, and how to mobilize voters to come out on election day. While these steps are important, they are no longer sufficient. Nigerians are asking deeper and more fundamental questions: Will my vote truly count? And if it does, how can I defend it? The real challenge confronting voter participation in Nigeria today is not a lack of awareness about voter registration or election dates. It is the growing distrust in the electoral process and in the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that votes cast at polling units are accurately reflected in the final results. Citizens Want More Than Mobilization: They Want Protection of Their Votes Citizens are eager to know what happens after they cast their votes. They want clear, practical information on how their votes are counted, transmitt...