Yemi Obafemi
Former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s FCT Area Council elections.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, on X, Atiku described the turnout, which reportedly averaged below 20 per cent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council recording 7.8 per cent, as a troubling sign for Nigeria’s democracy.
He said the low participation in the nation’s capital reflects a broader decline in public confidence in the political process.
According to him, the situation is the outcome of what he termed a political environment marked by intolerance, intimidation and the weakening of opposition voices.
The former Vice President alleged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has narrowed the democratic space by targeting dissenters, encouraging defections and discouraging alternative political viewpoints.
“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” Atiku stated, adding that what is being witnessed goes beyond voter apathy.
He warned that continued erosion of participatory governance could have long-term consequences for the country’s democratic development.
“A democracy without vibrant opposition, free political competition and public confidence is democracy in name only,” he said.
Atiku called on opposition parties and democratic stakeholders to unite in defence of democratic principles, stressing that safeguarding the nation’s democracy transcends party interests.
He urged political actors across the country to close ranks in what he described as a collective effort to preserve and rebuild Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
