Former Vice President of Nigeria and a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed concern over the low voter turnout recorded during Saturday’s FCT Area Council elections.
Responding to the poll, Atiku said the turnout, averaging below 20%, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council posting 7.8%, amounts to a damning verdict on the state of Nigeria’s democracy under the current administration.
He argued that such weak civic participation in the nation’s capital is not coincidental but stems from “a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.”
The Waziri Adamawa further accused the Bola Tinubu-led government of constricting the democratic space, targeting dissenters, and creating an atmosphere where alternative political views are seen as threats.
“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” he said. “This is not mere voter apathy. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated, slowly and dangerously.”
Atiku cautioned that the continued decline of participatory governance could inflict long-term damage on the country’s democratic foundations and urged 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.
