2023 Election: Despite 14.2 Million Increase In PVC Collection, Presidential Poll Recorded 2.5 Million Decrease In Votes Cast

The just concluded controversial 2023 presidential election recorded about 2.5 million decline in the number of votes cast despite a 10.1 per cent increase in the number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) collected as compared to the 2019 poll.

Data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated that a total of 93,469,008 Nigerians registered to exercise their franchise and 87,000,000 collected their PVCs fot the 2023 election.

In 2019, a total of 84,004,084 Registered Voters (RVs) were recorded while a total of 72,775,585 Nigerians collected their PVCs.

This showed that between both election years, a total of 9,464,008 additional Nigerians registered for the exercise, showing a 10.1 per cent increase while 14,224,415 Nigerians collected their PVCs — showing a 16.35 per cent rise.

Yet, the 2023 election only recorded 24, 044,122 votes cast.

Checks by THE WHISTLER showed that the 26,512,341 votes that were casted was recorded in the 2019 presidential poll. This showed a decline of 2,468,219 votes cast when compared to 2023 (10.27 per cent decrease).

Further checks by THE WHISTLER showed that although some part of the North region recorded a decline in total votes cast in the 2023 poll compared to 2019, there was an increase in the number of Registered Voters.

According to the INEC data, the North West (NW) region recorded the highest number of RVs with a total of 22,255,562 in 2023. In 2019, the region topped the ladder with 20,158,100 Registered Voters.

But the region witnessed a decline in votes cast in the recent poll as 6,690,612 Nigerians voted contrary to 8,276,116 recorded in 2019 (23.7 decline).

The North East (NE) had a total of 12,542,429 registered voters in 2023, compared to 11,289,293 in 2019.

The total votes cast on the other hand, witnessed a 26.7 per cent decline in the recent poll as 3,437,741 Nigerians voted in 2023, compared to 4,355,656 in 2019.

Also, the North Central (NC) in 2023 had a total of 15.363,731 registered voters compared to 13,366,070 in 2019.

The region recorded a 1.64 per cent increase in votes cast in 2023 as a total of 4,564,331 Nigerians compared to 4,489,368 in 2019 exercised their franchise.

However, the South-East (SE) region recorded the lowest number of registered voters in 2019 (10,057,130). It occupied same position in 2023 with 10,907,606.

The region, however, recorded a 6.07 per cent increase in votes cast in 2023 with a total of 2,233,048 compared to 2,233,048 in 2019.

In the South-South, the total registered voters in 2019 were 12,841,279 and 14,440,714 in 2023. But the region also witnessed a decrease of 14.94 per cent in votes cast with a total of 2,857,640 in 2023 compared to 3,284,628 in 2019.

In the South West (SW) region, a total of 17,958,966 registered voters was recorded in 2023 which showed an increase of 13.00 per cent compared to 16,292,212 in 2019.

The region also recorded an increase of 10.48 per cent in votes cast at 4,259,749 in 2023 compared to 3,813,120 in 2019.

Meanwhile, the North West has the highest rejected vote in 2023 with a total of 221,892 while the South West stood at 182,236.