NCDC Member Dr Atinuke Owolabi Leads Voter Education Drive in Aramoko Ekiti Ahead of 2027 Elections
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and member of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Dr Atinuke Owolabi, has stressed the importance of sustained voter education as a means of boosting participation and ensuring that citizens fully exercise their voting rights in the 2027 general elections.
Owolabi, who represents the South-West on the NCDC, made the call at Aramoko Ekiti on Saturday during an APC Voter Education Exercise and Aramoko Community Engagement themed “My vote, my voice.” The event was organised to mobilise support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and the Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.
Voter Education Handbook Unveiled
The engagement featured the unveiling of a Voter Education Handbook dedicated to the re-election of President Tinubu and Senator Bamidele. Copies of the booklet were distributed to participants, while potential voters were sensitised on their voting rights and the correct way to cast their ballots in order to prevent invalid votes.
Citing available records, Owolabi noted that 73 per cent of registered voters in the community did not participate in the 2023 presidential election. She explained that the sensitisation exercise was necessary to reduce voter apathy, minimise instances of invalid votes and increase the number of votes recorded for President Tinubu and Senator Bamidele in the presidential and senatorial elections respectively on January 16, 2027.
She urged residents to turn out massively for the re-election of both candidates, stating that doing so would translate into accelerated development for the community, Ekiti State and Nigeria at large.
Why Voter Education Matters
“We are here to sensitise our people on the correct way to vote. When they go to the polling units, they must ensure that they vote correctly. I believe voter education is key. If we cannot completely eliminate rejected ballots, we should at least be able to reduce them in Ekiti State, particularly in Aramoko, my community,” Owolabi said.
Speaking on the purpose of the handbook, she noted that it was designed to teach residents what elections are about, help them identify their polling units and guide them on how to participate in the electoral process in the right way.
“We have the population, and we have the voters. What is really lacking is adequate information. Our people need to understand the right way to vote. Our people have to participate in their numbers in the electoral process and vote right. We want overwhelming votes for Tinubu and Bamidele to attract development to our community,” she added.
2023 Election Figures as a Wake-Up Call
Reflecting on the figures from the 2023 general elections, Owolabi described them as an important basis for understanding voter participation in the state and the community. According to the reported 2023 presidential election collation figures, Ekiti State had 988,923 registered voters, of whom 315,058 were accredited. A total of 308,171 valid votes were recorded, while 6,301 votes were rejected, indicating that a substantial proportion of registered voters did not take part in the presidential election.
At the ward level, records for Aramoko I and Aramoko II showed a combined 17,426 registered voters, while the reported total votes cast stood at 4,680. This suggests that approximately 12,746 registered voters did not cast their ballots in the 2023 presidential election. In practical terms, out of every 100 registered voters in the two wards, about 27 voted while 73 did not.
“We must educate our people on how to vote and correctly mark their ballot papers to avoid rejected votes,” Owolabi said.
Praise for Bamidele’s Community Interventions
The APC chieftain commended Senator Bamidele for his interventions in the community, including the construction of market stalls and the provision of solar-powered lights. She noted that the lawmaker had promised to do more, which she said underscored the need for residents to cast their votes for President Tinubu and the National Assembly member in January.
Owolabi also appealed to women to increase their participation in the electoral process, assuring them that President Tinubu had promised to increase the number of women in his cabinet and other appointive positions.
