A Professor of Political Science at Fr. Adasu University, Makurdi, Dr James Apam, has taken aim at Nigeria’s political elite over what he described as their condescending attitude towards voters.
Prof. Apam, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) posted to Kogi State in North-Central Nigeria, questioned the practice of political actors boasting about their ability to “deliver” states and votes during elections.
In a post on his Facebook timeline, the don said such political rhetoric suggested that politicians regarded voters as commodities whose choices could simply be controlled or transferred.
“The Nigerian political elite speak condescendingly about the people. We hear about delivering states and votes as if the people don’t have a conscience and feelings,” he wrote.
According to Prof. Apam, political elites have exploited poverty and ignorance among sections of the population, turning them into tools for political advantage while boasting of their ability to deliver electoral outcomes.
Prof. Apam challenged Nigerians who bear the consequences of poor governance to assert their political agency through the ballot, asking: “Can’t the people who feel the impact of poor governance decide on who to vote for in an election?”
He further questioned the very meaning of the phrase “delivering votes,” arguing that the language used by politicians raises fundamental questions about voters’ independence and the integrity of electoral choices.
“How then can their votes be delivered in the manner in which the political elite talk?” he asked.
