The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on Wednesday said internal party disputes are not the main issue causing voter apathy in the country, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prioritize restoring public trust in the electoral process.
Ladipo Johnson, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, in a statement issued in Abuja reacted to recent concerns raised by the electoral umpire over the impact of internal wrangling within political parties on its operations.
Johnson agreed that legal battles arising from party disputes often drag INEC into court as a party in cases, thereby placing administrative pressure on the commission, draining its time and resources.
But Johnson argued that, “The most pressing challenge confronting Nigeria’s democracy is a deepening crisis of public confidence in the electoral system.”
Agreeing that administrative hurdles are real, he urged the INEC Chairman to recognize a far more dangerous reality, opining that the greatest cause of voter apathy in Nigeria is not internal party friction but the widespread perception that INEC is complicit in subverting the will of the people.
He added that a large percentage of the voting public remains convinced that the system is rigged and that their ballots do not count, stressing that the crisis of confidence is the primary driver of voter apathy.
Johnson believed that until INEC demonstrates absolute transparency and proves it is an unbiased arbiter, no amount of internal party stability will bring Nigerians back to the polling units.
While political parties must strengthen internal democracy and reduce avoidable litigation, NNPP opined that INEC must “take a hard look in the mirror” and implement reforms capable of restoring the sanctity of the vote.
He explained that the party’s position comes hours after INEC announced the commencement of a review of the 2022 edition of its regulations and guidelines for political parties as part of efforts to enhance integrity and transparency in the electoral process.
