The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) is deeply alarmed by the conduct and outcome of the recently concluded Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Rather than reinforcing democratic governance at the grassroots, the elections exposed troubling weaknesses in Nigeria’s electoral system and raised serious questions about the credibility of democratic processes under the current administration.

According to results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured chairmanship victories in Kuje, Bwari, Kwali, Abaji, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in Gwagwalada. However, beyond the declared outcomes, CHRICED’s observations reveal that the elections fell far short of democratic standards and public expectations.

A Democracy in Decline: Voter Turnout at a Crisis Point

CHRICED is particularly disturbed by the shockingly low voter turnout. INEC’s figures show that out of 1,682,315 registered voters in the FCT, only 239,210—representing a mere 14.24%—participated in the elections. AMAC, with 837,338 registered voters, recorded only 65,676 votes cast, amounting to just 7.8%.

This means that a tiny fraction of eligible voters determined leadership for millions of residents. Such a scenario represents a profound democratic deficit and signals a dangerous erosion of public trust.
As CHRICED noted during its observation, “people are fed up with unpopular policies of this government.” The widespread apathy reflects a growing belief that elections are predetermined, skewed in favour of those in power, and incapable of producing genuine representation. This perception is corrosive to democracy and must not be ignored.

A Mockery of Electoral Integrity

The FCT elections were marred by:
– Rampant vote buying
– Late arrival of election materials
– Poor logistics coordination
– Weak voter education
– Intimidation and inducement at polling units
– Lax enforcement of electoral guidelines

While the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made arrests and recovered cash from suspects, these efforts barely scratched the surface of the widespread vote trading observed across the FCT. Vote buying has become institutionalized, turning elections into transactional exercises rather than civic duties.

If elections in just six Area Councils could be riddled with such failures, the implications for the 2027 general elections are deeply troubling.

Urgent Need for Electoral Reforms

To restore public confidence and safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, CHRICED calls for immediate and farreaching reforms. We strongly recommend the introduction of a mandatory minimum voter turnout threshold before any election result can be declared valid.

Several democracies already uphold such standards:
– Romania: Minimum 30% turnout for national referenda
– Poland: 50% turnout required for certain constitutional referenda
– Serbia (previously): Over 50% turnout required for presidential elections
– Lithuania: Turnout thresholds between 33% and 50% depending on referendum type
– India: Sustains 60–70% turnout through strong civic education and institutional trust
Nigeria must adopt similar measures to ensure that leadership is not determined by a disengaged minority.

CHRICED further calls for:
– Full implementation of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform recommendations
– Deployment of realtime electoral surveillance technology
– Digital tracking of political finance and campaign spending
– Stronger legislation criminalizing vote trading, with enforceable penalties
– Swift prosecution of offenders to deter future violations
– Structured collaboration between INEC, anticorruption agencies, civil society, and security institutions

A Call to Action
To prevent deeper democratic erosion, CHRICED urges:

INEC
– Undertake comprehensive reforms in electoral logistics
– Strengthen nationwide voter education
– Improve transparency and accountability mechanisms

National Assembly
– Amend electoral laws to introduce minimum turnout requirements
– Enforce stricter sanctions against vote buying and electoral malpractice

Federal Government
– Guarantee INEC’s institutional independence
– Provide adequate funding and oversight
– Support technologydriven electoral reforms

Political Parties
– End the monetization of elections
– Promote issuebased campaigns
– Invest in grassroots civic engagement

Civil Society and Media
– Intensify voter education and democratic accountability initiatives

Citizens
– Reclaim ownership of the democratic process by actively participating in elections

Conclusion
Democracy thrives on participation, legitimacy, and trust. Elections decided by a small minority cannot produce leaders who truly represent the will of the people. Nigeria must urgently reform its electoral system to ensure inclusivity, credibility, and genuine representation. Anything less risks normalizing minority rule under the guise of democracy.

Signed:

Comrade Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi
Executive Director
Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED)