{"id":7621,"date":"2025-07-13T09:19:37","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T09:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/?p=7621"},"modified":"2025-07-13T09:19:57","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T09:19:57","slug":"gbajabiamila-expresses-concern-over-low-voter-turnout-in-lagos-lg-elections-amid-political-tension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/2025\/07\/13\/gbajabiamila-expresses-concern-over-low-voter-turnout-in-lagos-lg-elections-amid-political-tension\/","title":{"rendered":"Gbajabiamila Expresses Concern Over Low Voter Turnout in Lagos LG Elections Amid Political Tension"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has voiced his disappointment over the surprisingly low voter turnout during Saturday\u2019s Local Government (LG) elections in Lagos State. While he commended the peaceful nature of the elections, Gbajabiamila emphasised that voter engagement remains a critical challenge that must be addressed mostly in Lagos state..<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Peaceful Conduct, but Voter Apathy Remains a Concern, he said.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Voting took place at PU 014, Elizabeth Fowler Memorial High School in Adeniran Ogunsanya, Surulere, where Gbajabiamila cast his ballot. In his remarks, he applauded the calm and orderly conduct of the election but expressed concern over what he described as \u201cgeneral low turnout around Lagos state.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stated, \u201cSo far, I\u2019ve seen peace, quiet, and free and fair elections. But I\u2019m a little disappointed about the turnout. This is an area where we need to focus and improve.\u201d He pointed out that many citizens might not fully understand the significance of local government elections\u2014an understanding he believes is crucial because grassroots governance is arguably more impactful than many realise.<\/p>\n

Highlighting the Need for Civic Awareness<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gbajabiamila called for increased efforts to educate and sensitise Nigerians about the importance of participating in local elections, asserting that \u201cwe need to educate our people about grassroots government and encourage them to see their votes as vital to national development.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Show of Support for Opposition Alliances<\/strong><\/p>\n

In another noteworthy stance, Gbajabiamila expressed support for the recent coalition of opposition groups, notably the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which includes prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. He described the coalition as a \u201cpositive step for democracy,\u201d explaining that it helps prevent Nigeria from slipping into a one-party system.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving some level of opposition is essential in any democracy,\u201d he said. \u201cOtherwise, we risk creating a one-party state, which is not healthy for our political landscape. While I don\u2019t know exactly where this coalition will lead, it\u2019s a welcome development.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reactions to the Opposition Coalition and Concerns About One-Party States<\/strong><\/p>\n

The coalition has already sparked widespread reactions, with some political observers viewing it as a potential game-changer ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, others remain sceptical about its ability to challenge the dominance of the APC, the ruling party.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, former APC National Chairman Abdullahi Umar Ganduje stirred controversy when he suggested that Nigeria\u2019s possible transition to a one-party state might not be a cause for concern if it occurs through voluntary defection among political parties.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeaders worried about a one-party state do not need to fear,\u201d Ganduje remarked. \u201cA one-party system is not by force, but by negotiation. If other parties see the benefits of good governance and choose to join us, there\u2019s nothing wrong with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

He even likened Nigeria\u2019s potential move towards a one-party system to China’s\u2014arguing that it\u2019s \u201cnot necessarily a bad thing,\u201d owing to China’s strength as a nation.<\/p>\n

Official Stance on Pluralism and Democracy<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, President Tinubu has quickly countered such notions, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to pluralism. During a joint session of the National Assembly on Democracy Day, he explicitly stated, \u201cNigeria will not become a one-party state. That is not in our plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cIt would be political malpractice to close the doors for those who wish to join the APC, but we remain committed to a diverse and competitive political landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n

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As Nigeria continues to navigate its democratic journey, the low voter turnout in Lagos serves as a wake-up call. Greater civic education and inclusive political engagement are crucial to revitalising public confidence and ensuring the vibrancy of Nigeria\u2019s democracy, especially in a time where political cohesion and opposition are vital for healthy governance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has voiced his disappointment over the surprisingly low voter turnout during Saturday\u2019s Local Government (LG) elections in Lagos State. While he commended the peaceful...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7621"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7624,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7621\/revisions\/7624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}