Former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed deep concern over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
In a statement shared on X by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku described the turnout — reportedly averaging below 20 percent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council recording just 7.8 percent — as a troubling indicator of the state of Nigeria’s democracy under the current administration.
According to the former Vice President, the poor civic participation in the nation’s capital — which he called the symbolic heartbeat of the federation — is not coincidental but symptomatic of a deeper democratic malaise.
He argued that the prevailing political climate has been undermined by intolerance, intimidation, and what he termed the systematic weakening of opposition voices.
Atiku alleged that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have adopted policies that constrict democratic space, sideline dissent, and treat alternative political perspectives as threats rather than constructive contributions to national progress.
“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to erode,” he said. “What we are witnessing goes beyond voter apathy. It reflects a growing perception that pluralism is under pressure. Democracy in Nigeria is being steadily suffocated.”
He cautioned that continued erosion of participatory governance could inflict lasting damage on the democratic foundations painstakingly built over decades.
“A democracy without vibrant opposition, free political competition, and public confidence is democracy in name only. If corrective steps are not taken, this period may be remembered as a time when hard-won freedoms gave way to fear and conformity,” he added.
The former presidential candidate called on opposition parties and pro-democracy stakeholders nationwide to unite in defense of democratic values.
“This transcends party interests; it is about safeguarding the Republic. The moment demands collective resolve to protect and strengthen Nigeria’s democracy,” he stated.
