Project IMPACT: SIDEC Calls for Massive Participation in November Governorship Election

SIDEC Executive Director, Ugochi Ehiahuruike and Logo

The Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC) has called on all registered voters in the state to turn out en masse on November 8 to vote for the candidate of their choice.

The call was made through SIDEC’s flagship initiative, Project IMPACT.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by SIDEC Executive Director, Ugochi Ehiahuruike, the organization urged Ndi Anambra to ensure their voices are heard by actively participating in the election.

The appeal follows the low voter turnout recorded in the 2021 governorship election, where only about 10 percent of registered voters participated, becoming one of the lowest in Nigeria’s electoral history.

Ehiahuruike noted that, following the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, Anambra State now has 2.8 million registered voters. Based on this, she said, SIDEC is expecting a significantly higher turnout in the upcoming polls.

“Active citizen participation is the bedrock of democracy. When citizens vote, they make their voices count,shaping leadership choices, ensuring accountability, and influencing policies that impact their daily lives, including education, healthcare, job creation, and infrastructure,” she said.

The SIDEC Director emphasized that voter participation is a crucial step in empowering Ndi Anambra to take ownership of their future and strengthen the legitimacy of governance in the state.

She warned that voter apathy has serious implications:“Failure to vote allows for the emergence of leadership that does not reflect the will of the people. It undermines accountability, disempowers citizens in decision-making processes, and creates room for poor governance and continued underdevelopment.”

Ehiahuruike further called on traditional rulers, religious institutions, youth and women groups, and civil society organizations to collaborate in mobilizing their communities for the election.

“Every single vote matters. Citizens’ participation is critical to determining the future of Anambra State,” she stressed.

According to her, Project IMPACT is working to increase voter turnout to at least 25 percent in the upcoming polls. She added that the initiative is made possible with generous support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room.