Democracy vs Devotion: Ramadan blamed for FCT voter apathy

A former media aide to late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has said that the low voter turnout in the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council elections was largely due to the elections being held during the holy month of Ramadan.

According to Ahmad, many Muslims change their daily routines during Ramadan. People move around less while fasting and focus more on prayers and spiritual activities. He said these factors affected the number of people who came out to vote in many polling units.

Ahmad explained that because of this experience, many stakeholders are now asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reconsider the dates already fixed for next year’s general elections, which will also take place during Ramadan.

He pointed out that the governorship and State/National Assembly elections are scheduled just two days before Eid el-Fitr. He said this period is usually very busy, as people prepare for the celebration, travel to meet family members, and take part in increased economic activities.

While stressing that voting is an important civic duty no matter the timing, Ahmad said fixing election dates with consideration for major religious events could improve voter turnout, inclusiveness, and overall participation in democracy.

Posting on X, he stated that holding elections during Ramadan contributed significantly to voter apathy in the FCT council polls and urged INEC to review future election dates to avoid similar challenges.