Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep concern over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, describing it as a troubling sign for the nation’s democracy.
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the turnout — which averaged below 20 percent, with just 7.8 percent recorded in Abuja Municipal Area Council — reflects growing public disillusionment with Nigeria’s political system.
According to Atiku, the weak participation is not accidental but the result of what he described as a political climate marked by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.
He accused the administration of Bola Tinubu of shrinking democratic space, targeting dissenters, and treating alternative political views as threats rather than legitimate contributions to governance. “When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die”, he warned, adding that the country’s democratic system is being gradually undermined.
Atiku cautioned that continued decline in civic participation could inflict long-term damage on Nigeria’s democratic foundations and urged opposition parties to put aside differences and 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 stated.
