Atiku raises alarm over low FCT poll turnout, warns democracy ‘being suffocated’

By James Ike

Former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed deep concern over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

Reacting to the outcome of the polls, Atiku described the turnout, which reportedly averaged below 20 per cent, 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.

The former Vice President said the poor civic participation in the nation’s capital, which he referred to as the symbolic heartbeat of the federation, was not coincidental but reflective of deeper systemic challenges.

According to him, the situation is “the predictable outcome of a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.”

Atiku, who holds the traditional title of Waziri Adamawa, accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of deliberately shrinking the democratic space by allegedly harassing dissenters, coercing political defections, and fostering an atmosphere where alternative political views are perceived as threats.

“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” Atiku stated. “What we are witnessing is not mere voter apathy. It is a direct consequence of an administration that governs with a chokehold on pluralism.

Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated — slowly, steadily, and dangerously.”
He warned that continued erosion of participatory governance could cause lasting damage to the country’s democratic foundations built over decades.

“A democracy without vibrant opposition, without free political competition, and without public confidence is democracy in name only,” he said. “If this chokehold is not released, history will record this era as the period when our hard-won freedoms were traded for fear and conformity.”

The former Vice President called on opposition parties and pro-democracy stakeholders across the country to set aside differences and unite in defence of democratic principles.

“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.