Atiku Abubakar FCT election remarks urge voters to reject APC in Abuja council polls, citing governance failures and electoral integrity concerns

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Wednesday called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory to vote out candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s Area Council elections, describing the poll as a decisive test of Nigeria’s democratic process.

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Atiku Abubakar made the appeal after joining leaders of the African Democratic Congress on a campaign visit to Gwarinpa in Abuja ahead of the February 21 council elections.

The former Vice President, who recently declared interest in the ADC’s 2027 presidential ticket, said the election would reveal whether the Independent National Electoral Commission was prepared to conduct free, fair and credible polls.

“This election is very important. It will say a lot about how ready the managers of our elections are to deliver free, fair and credible polls,” Atiku Abubakar said in a post on his X account.

He urged voters to turn out in large numbers and support ADC candidates across the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory, arguing that the ruling party had failed Nigerians “on many fronts”.

According to the former Vice President, the APC-led Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu had not succeeded in fixing the economy, improving education or addressing insecurity, and had deepened poverty despite the country’s vast resources.

The Atiku Abubakar FCT election intervention also drew attention to concerns about voter intimidation. Atiku Abubakar encouraged residents to resist any pressure and “make the right choice” at the ballot box.

He was joined at the campaign event by former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, and other senior figures of the ADC.

Peter Obi has similarly indicated interest in contesting the ADC’s 2027 presidential ticket, adding a strategic dimension to the party’s mobilisation in Abuja.

Atiku Abubakar said the outcome of the council elections would also demonstrate whether Nigerians were prepared to begin removing the APC from power through democratic means.

“Our party has fielded candidates with competence, capacity and character to offer quality leadership across local councils in Abuja,” Atiku Abubakar stated, describing the moment as pivotal for grassroots governance in the capital.