SIDEC advocates improved voter turnout in Anambra governorship election

 

 

SIDEC ED, Ehiahuruike

Uchenna Johnson

Awka

 

As Anambra State prepares for the forthcoming governorship election, the Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC), through its Project Impact, is calling on all registered voters to come out on November 8, 2025, to vote for the candidate of their choice, thereby making their voices count.

The call came from the Executive Director of the SIDEC, Ugochi Ehiahuruike, in a statement in Awka on Wednesday, against the backdrop of the 2021 governorship election, where about 10 per cent of registered voters voted, being one of the lowest in Nigeria’s electoral history.

With the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise concluded, Anambra now has 2.8 million registered voters, and SIDEC is expecting a massive turnout in the November poll, according to Ehiahuruike.

She insisted that active citizen participation is the bedrock of democracy, adding that when citizens vote, they make their count, influencing leadership choices, ensuring accountability, and shaping policies that directly impact their daily lives, whether in education, healthcare, job creation, or infrastructure.

She called on Anambra people to demonstrate ownership of their future by strengthening the legitimacy of governance, through exercising their franchise.

“Not voting has damaging consequences. It creates room for leadership that does not reflect the will of the people, weakens accountability, and leaves citizens powerless in decision-making processes. Apathy also emboldens bad governance and perpetuates the cycle of underdevelopment.

“SIDEC appeals to traditional leaders, religious institutions, youth and women groups, and civil society organisations to join hands in mobilising communities. Every single vote matters, and citizens’ participation is critical in determining the future of Anambra State.

“Project IMPACT, SIDEC's flagship intervention, is working towards increasing participation to at least 25 per cent turnout in the upcoming polls. This initiative is made possible with the generous support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room,” Ehiahuruike posited.