2027: Insecurity May Cause Voter Apathy – Osun Monarch
The Olowu of Kuta in Ayedire Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, has charged his fellow traditional rulers and the Federal Government to intensify efforts to prevent voter apathy in the 2027 general elections.
Olowu, who spoke on Tuesday, advised traditional rulers to begin sensitising their subjects on the need to participate in the electoral process and vote on election days.
Oba Oyelude, who identified insecurity ravaging some parts of the country as a factor capable of causing apathy during the polls, urged the Federal Government to double its efforts towards providing improved security for lives and property.
He called for special focus on communities facing insecurity by relevant stakeholders and encouraged constant stakeholder engagement to ensure maximum participation of residents.
“The Federal Government should help and make sure there is security of life and property before the election. Because apathy has set in already, even before the forthcoming general election in the country. What I mean by apathy has been set in already is that the security situation will naturally cause apathy.
“The number of voters in the last election in Kwara North, in Woro, in Niger, and in the Kontagora axis will be different from the number of voters this year.
“The number of voters in Maiduguri in the last election will be different now, ditto Kogi, and come to Osun, look at the Ora axis,” Oba Oyelude said.
Proffering more solutions, Oba Oyelude said traditional rulers must ensure they conduct themselves in ways that would make their subjects trust them and go out to exercise their franchise.
He said, “And we as traditional rulers will continue to conduct ourselves in a way that will make our subjects believe what we tell them. That election is the only power they have to choose their leader and if you do not come out, whoever comes out decides your leadership.
“My advice to my royal colleagues, traditional rulers in their various domains, is to work hard, sensitise their subjects, their sons and daughters, to see reason to still come and perform their civic responsibility by coming out massively to vote.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
