Former presidential candidate Fela Durotoye has highlighted the lasting damage caused by the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election by former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida, stating that it fundamentally altered Nigeria’s electoral landscape and instilled widespread voter apathy.
Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program on Channels Television, Durotoye described the annulment as a turning point that made Nigerians believe their votes no longer counted.
“That moment embedded the belief in our consciousness that our votes don’t count,” he said. “The danger of this mindset is that it has turned the majority into a minority. When you compare the number of registered voters to the actual votes cast, it becomes clear how damaging this perception has been.”
Durotoye further analyzed voter participation in the 2023 general election, noting that despite 93 million registered voters, only about 23 million votes were recorded, including what he described as mobilized, monetized, manufactured, and manipulated votes.
“This means 70 million people did not vote. That is the real majority,” he emphasized, adding that the ruling class has exploited this perception of electoral irrelevance to maintain power.
He called for renewed efforts to restore public trust in elections, stressing that reversing this deeply ingrained belief is crucial for strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
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