Atiku Criticizes Low Voter Turnout, Warns of Threats to Democracy

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress chieftain Atiku Abubakar has raised serious concerns over the low voter turnout recorded in the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, describing the participation figures as indicative of a broader crisis in Nigeria’s democracy. In a statement released via his media aide Paul Ibe on X, Atiku highlighted that voter engagement averaged below 20 per cent across the territory, with Abuja Municipal Area Council recording a mere 7.8 per cent.

Atiku said the dismal turnout reflects a political climate stifled by intolerance, harassment of dissenting voices, and the systematic weakening of opposition parties. “The low participation is not accidental. It is a predictable outcome of an environment where citizens lose confidence that their votes matter. Democracy begins to die when this happens,” he said.

He accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the APC government of pursuing policies that shrink democratic space and treat alternative political viewpoints as threats rather than contributions to national development. “What we are witnessing is not mere voter apathy. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated — slowly, steadily, and dangerously,” he said, warning that if the erosion of participatory governance continues, it could inflict irreparable damage to the democratic foundations painstakingly built over decades.

Atiku emphasized the need for unity among opposition parties and democratic actors. “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. A democracy without vibrant opposition, free political competition, and public confidence is democracy in name only. If the chokehold is not lifted, history will record this era as the time when our hard-won freedoms were traded for fear and conformity,” he added.

The former Vice President’s statement comes in the wake of the FCT elections, which saw the APC win five of six chairmanship seats, with the PDP claiming only Gwagwalada. His comments underscore the concerns of opposition parties regarding declining voter participation, governance challenges, and the perceived narrowing of political space under the current administration.