The Igbo Agenda Dialogue has called on Ndigbo across Nigeria and in the diaspora to take advantage of the 2027 general elections to regain their political relevance in the country.
In an open letter addressed to Ndigbo, the National Chairman of the group, Chief Chekwas Okorie, urged Igbo people everywhere to prepare for the coming elections by becoming more politically active and participating fully in the democratic process.
He began by reminding the Igbo community that the Igbo population in Nigeria is widely believed to be the largest among the country’s ethnic nationalities. He also noted that Igbo people are the most geographically spread ethnic group across Nigeria.
Despite the failure of successive Nigerian governments to conduct a national population census since 2006, studies conducted over the years indicate that Igbo people make up about ninety nine percent of the population in the Southeast geopolitical zone. The same studies also suggest that the Igbo represent the second largest single ethnic population in the remaining thirty one states of the federation and in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Okorie, Nigeria’s democratic system is driven by numbers and geographical spread during elections. Because of this, he said a politically conscious Igbo electorate should always be a major factor in determining political power in the country since the return of democratic rule.
He stressed that the 2027 elections present a major opportunity for Ndigbo to reclaim their rightful place in Nigeria’s political structure.
Okorie explained that the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission remains open for continuous online voter registration. However, findings show that the Southeast is still far behind other geopolitical zones in the number of people registering to vote.
He added that registered voters now have the opportunity to change their polling units online to locations that are more convenient for them to vote on election day.
Data released by the electoral commission from the 2023 general elections showed that the Southeast had about eleven point five million registered voters. Out of this number only two point two million voters participated in the presidential election.
The region already had the lowest number of registered voters among the geopolitical zones and the situation was made worse by the fact that about nine point three million registered voters did not take part in the presidential election.
Okorie said the situation should not continue because it weakens the political influence of the Igbo people.
He outlined several consequences of voter apathy among Ndigbo.
He said failure to register as a voter means denying oneself the fundamental right to take part in choosing representatives, governors and the president.
He explained that refusing to vote during elections indirectly helps candidates that a person may not want to represent or govern them.
He also noted that in the event of a referendum or a plebiscite for self determination, creation of new states or the recall of an elected representative, only citizens with valid voter cards will be allowed to participate.
He further pointed out that because Nigeria has not conducted a credible population census in many years, the number of votes recorded from a region often becomes the measure used to judge the political relevance of that region.
The Igbo Agenda Dialogue said it has already begun efforts to promote political awareness among Igbo people. The leadership of the organization is working with Igbo stakeholders, community unions, associations, women groups, youth organizations, civil society groups and pro democracy bodies to encourage greater political participation.
The campaign will include town hall meetings in major cities across Nigeria where large numbers of Igbo people live.
The organization also announced that it has established a functional office in the United States to coordinate and engage the large Igbo diaspora population.
Through these efforts the group plans to mobilize about fifteen million Igbo registered voters living in other parts of Nigeria outside the Southeast.
The organization expressed confidence that if Ndigbo can build a voting bloc of at least thirty five million voters by the 2027 general elections, the Igbo people will be on the path to regaining their political influence, respect and relevance in Nigeria.
Okorie ended the message by praying for blessings and unity for Ndigbo.
