Tunde Adeleke, Osogbo
Ahead of the August 15, 2026, gubernatorial election, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Tuesday charged residents of Osun State to shun voter apathy, reject vote buying and embrace peaceful participation.
The Director-General of the agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who was represented by a Zonal Director of the agency, Kehinde Ogunkuade, made the call at a stakeholders’ town hall meeting organised by the Osun State Directorate of the NOA in Osogbo.
He said the agency’s nationwide voter sensitisation campaign was aimed at promoting active civic participation while discouraging vote buying and election violence.
He lamented that voter apathy continues to pose a major threat to Nigeria’s democracy, noting that many eligible voters have become disillusioned and now believe their votes do not count.
According to him, democracy can only thrive when citizens actively participate in the electoral process. Unfortunately, voter apathy has continued to undermine democratic development in our country.
“Many citizens have become discouraged and now believe their votes do not count. Some others have lost confidence in governance and therefore choose to stay away from elections. We must collectively reject this attitude.
“Every eligible voter in Osun State must understand that voting is not merely a political activity; it is a civic duty and a patriotic responsibility. The future of our communities, our state, and our democracy depends on the choices we make at the polls.
“Citizens must understand that the temporary financial gains from vote selling cannot compare with the long-term consequences of bad governance, poor infrastructure, unemployment, insecurity, and lack of social services.
“We must resist all attempts by politicians or their agents to compromise our conscience and dignity through inducement. Democracy loses its value when votes become commodities for sale.”
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