Former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised serious concerns over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
Reacting to the exercise, Atiku described the turnout which averaged below 20 per cent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council posting just 7.8 per cent as a troubling reflection of the health of Nigeria’s democracy.
According to him, the poor civic participation in the nation’s capital is not coincidental but symptomatic of deeper political challenges.
“This is not accidental,” Atiku said. “It is the predictable outcome of a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.”
The former presidential candidate accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of shrinking democratic space, harassing dissenting voices, and fostering a climate where alternative political views are treated as threats rather than legitimate contributions to national discourse.
When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” he declared. “This is not mere voter apathy. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated slowly and dangerously.”
Atiku warned that the continued erosion of participatory governance could inflict long-term damage on the country’s democratic foundations if left unchecked.
Calling for unity among opposition forces, he stressed that the moment demands collective action beyond partisan interests.
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.