Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress leader, Atiku Abubakar, has warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under serious strain following the low voter turnout in Saturday’s FCT Area Council elections.
Atiku noted that participation in the polls was critically low, averaging below 20%, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council recording just 7.8%, calling it a stark indictment of the current state of civic engagement in the nation’s capital.
He attributed the weak turnout to what he described as “a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.”
The Waziri Adamawa specifically accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of narrowing democratic space, targeting dissenting voices, and fostering conditions in which alternative political perspectives are treated as threats.
“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” Atiku said.
“This is not mere voter apathy. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated, slowly and dangerously.”
He warned that continued erosion of participatory governance could have long-term consequences for the country’s democratic foundations and urged opposition parties to unite.
“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.
