Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep concern over the low voter turnout recorded during Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, describing it as a troubling reflection of Nigeria’s democratic health under President Bola Tinubu.
Reacting to the polls on Sunday, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain pointed to turnout figures that averaged below 20 percent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) posting just 7.8 percent participation. According to him, such minimal engagement is not accidental but the result of what he termed a political climate shaped by intolerance, intimidation, and the steady weakening of opposition voices. He argued that when citizens begin to doubt the value of their votes, democratic foundations are put at risk.
“This is not mere voter apathy,” Atiku stated. “Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated—slowly and dangerously.” He urged opposition groups to look beyond party differences and unite in what he described as a broader effort to safeguard the republic, stressing that the issue transcends partisan politics.
The elections, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, involved 1,680,315 registered voters across 2,822 polling units in six area councils—Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. A total of 1,587,025 Permanent Voter Cards were collected before the polls, reflecting a 94.4 percent collection rate. Seventeen political parties fielded 570 candidates for 68 positions, including six chairmanships, six vice-chairmanships, and 62 councillorship seats.
INEC deployed the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in all polling units and enabled real-time result uploads to its viewing portal. Security arrangements included 25,000 personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and 4,000 officers from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, with movement restrictions enforced from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding essential services.
Election observers, including a coalition of more than 70 civil society organisations, reported isolated cases of vote buying and technical glitches involving BVAS devices. Accessibility challenges for persons with disabilities were also noted in some polling areas. Eighty-three domestic and five foreign observer groups monitored the exercise, with reports of delayed openings in several units.
Results showed varied outcomes across councils. APC’s Christopher Maikalangu retained AMAC with 40,295 votes, while PDP’s Mohammed Kasim secured victory in Gwagwalada with 22,165 votes. Overall participation levels, however, mirrored a longstanding trend of weak civic engagement in FCT council polls.
Historically, turnout in FCT area council elections has remained low. The 2022 elections recorded an average turnout of 9 percent, while earlier cycles reflected similar patterns, particularly in urban centres. Nationally, Nigeria’s 2023 general elections posted a 27 percent turnout—the lowest since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
Atiku, who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo, has consistently advocated electoral reforms and stronger democratic institutions.
