A National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Muhammed Haruna, has expressed surprise over claims blaming the Commission for the low voter turnout recorded during the recently concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
Haruna made the remarks on Monday while responding to questions during an interview on Trust TV. He was reacting to widespread criticism following the elections, which witnessed poor voter participation across the nation’s capital.
According to him, although low turnout remains a major concern for Nigeria’s democratic process, placing sole responsibility on INEC is misplaced. He explained that the Commission’s constitutional mandate is largely centered on civic education and ensuring that eligible voters understand the voting process.
“While voter turnout is a critical concern, attributing blame solely to INEC is misdirected,” Haruna said. “INEC’s primary role is civic education — informing citizens on how to vote.”
He stressed that political parties bear the greater responsibility for mobilizing voters, noting that they have wide-reaching structures and large memberships capable of driving grassroots participation.
“I’m surprised that INEC is blamed for low turnout. Although we encourage participation, the responsibility for mobilizing voters ultimately rests with political parties,” he stated. “These parties possess extensive memberships, often numbering in the hundreds of thousands or even millions.”
Haruna further clarified that INEC is legally barred from supporting or promoting any political party or candidate, limiting its role strictly to electoral management and voter education.
Despite these limitations, he maintained that the Commission remains committed to promoting voter participation. He added that INEC undertook extensive sensitization and engagement efforts ahead of the FCT Area Council elections, describing them as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.
The comments come amid continued public debate over voter apathy and declining turnout in elections within the Federal Capital Territory.
