Former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed deep concern over the low voter turnout recorded during Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
In a statement reacting to the exercise, Atiku described the turnout — which reportedly averaged below 20 per cent across the councils, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council recording just 7.8 per cent — as a troubling reflection of the state of Nigeria’s democracy.
The former presidential candidate attributed the poor participation to what he termed a hostile political climate, alleging that intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices have discouraged civic engagement.
According to him, the situation goes beyond voter apathy and signals a deeper crisis in the democratic process.
“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” he said, warning that Nigeria’s democratic space is being constricted in ways that could have lasting consequences.
Atiku also accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of shrinking democratic freedoms and treating alternative political perspectives as threats rather than legitimate contributions to national discourse.
He cautioned that continued erosion of participatory governance could undermine the country’s democratic foundations and called on opposition parties to close ranks.
“This is no longer about party lines; it is about preserving the Republic. The time to stand together to rescue and rebuild Nigeria is now,” he added.
Comments