2027: Okorie rallies Ndigbo to reclaim political relevance, targets 35m voting bloc

2026-03-16 - 12:26

...Says South-East trails in voter registration, calls for 20m new voters before polls By Clifford Ndujihe A prominent Igbo leader and Convener of the Igbo Agenda Dialogue, IAD, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has urged Ndigbo across Nigeria and the diaspora to seize the opportunity of the 2027 general elections to reclaim their political relevance in the country. In an open letter addressed to Ndigbo, Okorie said the Igbo ethnic nationality remains one of the most populous and geographically dispersed groups in Nigeria, arguing that such demographic strength should naturally translate into significant political influence in the nation’s democratic process. According to him, the failure of Igbo voters to fully participate in elections has continued to weaken their political bargaining power despite their widespread presence across the country. Igbo population and spread Okorie noted that although Nigeria has not conducted a population census since 2006, several studies indicate that the Igbo constitute about 99 percent of the population in the South-East geopolitical zone and rank among the largest ethnic populations in many other states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. He further said research shows that indigenous Igbo populations exist in at least 13 states of the federation, underscoring the ethnic group’s wide geographical spread. “In Nigeria’s brand of democracy, electoral victories are largely determined by numerical strength and geographical spread,” he said. “It therefore follows logically that a politically conscious Igbo electorate has no excuse not to be a critical factor in Nigeria’s political power equation.” Opportunities ahead of 2027 The Igbo leader stressed that the period ahead of the 2027 elections presents a crucial opportunity for political reawakening among Ndigbo. He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, still has its portal open for the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise, allowing eligible citizens to register as voters. However, he lamented that the South-East is still trailing behind other geopolitical zones in voter registration. Okorie also drew attention to the commission’s innovation which allows registered voters to change their polling units online, a move he said would help eliminate the incidence of voter disenfranchisement on election day. Disturbing voter apathy in the South-East He cited official figures released after the 2023 presidential election, which showed that while the South-East had 11.5 million registered voters, only 2.2 million eventually voted. The implication, he said, is that about 9.3 million registered voters in the zone stayed away from the polls, a situation he described as alarming. “We cannot continue to do this to ourselves,” Okorie warned. Implications of voter apathy Okorie warned that voter apathy carries serious political consequences for the Igbo nation. According to him, failure to register as a voter amounts to self-denial of the fundamental right to participate in choosing leaders at all levels of government. He added that refusing to vote in elections effectively empowers candidates who might not represent the interests of the people. He further argued that in the event of a referendum, plebiscite, state creation process or recall of elected officials, only citizens with valid voter cards would be eligible to participate. “In the absence of a credible national census, the number of votes recorded by the Igbo will remain the most practical yardstick for measuring our political relevance in Nigeria,” he said. He also noted that active participation in elections wherever Igbo people reside across the country strengthens their bargaining power for inclusion and development in those places. Igbo Agenda Dialogue steps in Okorie disclosed that the Igbo Agenda Dialogue, IAD, in collaboration with Igbo stakeholders, unions, youth groups, women organisations, civil society and pro-democracy groups, has commenced a nationwide mobilisation to promote political consciousness among Ndigbo. According to him, the initiative will involve town hall meetings in major cities across Nigeria to encourage voter registration and participation in the electoral process. He added that the group has also established a functional office in the United States to coordinate engagement with the vast Igbo diaspora population. Target: 35 million Igbo voting bloc Okorie said the group has set what he described as a modest but achievable target. He explained that the aim is to increase the number of registered voters in the South-East to 20 million before the close of the ongoing voter registration window. In addition, he said the organisation hopes to mobilise about 15 million Igbo voters in other parts of Nigeria. “With a minimum of 35 million Igbo voting bloc in the 2027 general elections, Ndigbo will be on their way to political resurgence and restoration of our long-lost relevance and respect in Nigeria,” he said. Clarion call to Ndigbo Calling for collective action, Okorie urged Ndigbo everywhere not to ignore what he described as a historic opportunity. “Let no Igbo be left out of embracing this clarion call,” he said. “Now is the time for us to take our destiny in our hands.”