ZLP Chair Warns INEC Must Count All Votes in FCT Area Council Polls
The National Chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dan Nwanyanwu, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the full collation and counting of all votes in the upcoming February 21 elections for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Councils.
Nwanyanwu made the statement during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ on Thursday. He specifically called on INEC to rigorously test the IREV, the commission’s electronic result transmission and collation system, for the polls.
The warning follows observations of heightened political tension in the FCT, including shifting alliances and the recent Supreme Court ruling that affected the eligibility of at least one party candidate. Nwanyanwu suggested these dynamics should not influence the integrity of the vote tally.
He stated that FCT voters have a distinct pattern, prioritising substance over political noise or arrogance. “All votes must be counted,” he emphasised, adding that candidates perceived as overly confident or dismissive of opponents may face an unexpected outcome. He noted that while voters might support the president’s party in other contests, local elections in the FCT are decided on their own merits.
The ZLP Chairman’s comments highlight ongoing concerns about the transparency of result management in off-cycle state and local elections. His appeal for INEC to activate the IREV system points to technological scrutiny as a key factor in maintaining public trust.
The February 21 Area Council elections will determine local government leadership across the six area councils of Abuja. The polls are being closely watched as a test of INEC’s operational preparedness and the electorate’s responsiveness to shifting political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections. Nwanyanwu’s intervention underscores the high stakes and the demand for a credible, verifiable process from major opposition figures.
