Former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the outcome of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, saying the low voter turnout reflects a deteriorating democratic climate in Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In a statement issued by his media office on Sunday Atiku said the average turnout of below 20 per cent, with the Abuja Municipal Area Council registering about 7.8 per cent, is a “damning verdict” on the state of the nation’s democracy.

Atiku described the low participation in the heart of the federation as not accidental but the result of a political environment he claims has been “poisoned by intolerance intimidation and the systematic weakening of opposition voices” under the ruling party’s leadership. He alleged that the current government has pursued policies that shrink democratic space harass dissenters and treat alternative political viewpoints as threats rather than contributions to national development.

“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter democracy begins to die,” Atiku said warning that such conditions could cause irreversible damage to Nigeria’s democratic foundations if left unchecked. He argued that a democracy without vibrant opposition free political competition and public trust is democracy in name only and described the situation as “suffocating slowly steadily and dangerously.”

The Waziri Adamawa also called on opposition parties and democratic forces nationwide to close ranks and forge a united front to safeguard the republic and the democratic process. He said the moment is not about party lines but about preserving the nation’s democratic system and rebuilding public confidence in elections.

Atiku’s comments came amid broader debates over the FCT polls where the ruling party secured the majority of council chair positions and questions were raised about voter engagement and political participation in the capital region.