They Have Concerns, But Not Voter Cards: My Observations from a Youth Survey on Political Participation in Ekiti

In April, I served as a data collector for a survey on citizen perception to determine the political issues considered important by young people and first-time voters in Ekiti State. The assignment exposed me to the unfiltered opinions of young people regarding politics, governance, and elections.

Although this is not the empirical data of the survey, my observation at Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, where I collected data for the survey, revealed a troubling contradiction to me. Most of the young people who express dissatisfaction with governance are not actively participating in the electoral process.

At the time of the survey, the governorship election for the state was only two months away. The election is scheduled for Saturday, 20 June.

Ekiti State has 1,059,360 registered voters, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC is yet to release the number of persons who collected their PVCs, which are the only eligible voters for the Ekiti election. As of the last general election in 2023, youths aged 18 to 34 made up 39.65 per cent of all registered voters across the country.

I conducted this survey in Oye, a community home to the Federal University Oye-Ekiti. The university environment provided easy access to students and allowed me to gather responses from a large number of young people.

What I encountered while administering this survey is both enlightening and troubling. There was a high level of political apathy among many respondents. Some displayed little interest in electoral processes, while others admitted they paid little attention to political developments despite having strong opinions about them. Even more concerning was the widespread ignorance of civic responsibilities among a demographic that will ultimately inherit the consequences of today’s political decisions.

Many respondents listed multiple complaints about Nigeria’s electoral system, elected officials, and the general state of the nation. They expressed frustration about poor governance, unfulfilled promises, unemployment, insecurity, and economic hardship. Yet, many of these same individuals did not possess a PVC. Some had never registered for the voter cards, and others showed little interest in participating in elections.

This contradiction became difficult to ignore: strong political opinions existed alongside weak electoral participation.

The Question That Lingers

This raises an important question: how can citizens hope to correct political failures if they remain absent from the democratic process?

While voting alone may not solve every problem, refusing to participate weakens the ability of citizens to demand accountability or influence leadership outcomes. Democracy functions best when citizens actively engage in choosing those who govern them.

Criticism of government is a democratic right, but civic responsibility should accompany that criticism. It becomes difficult to demand accountability from leaders when one has not taken advantage of the most fundamental opportunity to influence leadership choices.

Beyond Complaints: A Civic Responsibility

As Ekiti prepares to elect its next governor, young people must move beyond complaints and become active participants in shaping the future of the state.

Political engagement begins with awareness, continues with participation, and finds expression at the ballot box. Elections are not merely political events; they are opportunities to influence the direction of society. If we desire better governance, we must be willing to play our part in bringing it about.

The future of Ekiti cannot be left solely in the hands of others. Young people must rise to the task—not blindly, but with informed minds, critical thinking, and active participation. Until that gap is closed, frustration alone will not produce the change many young people say they want.