Veteran journalist and former presidential aide Dr. Reuben Abati has asserted that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) failed to convert its campaign momentum into electoral victory in the recent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections. Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Abati used the results to argue that Nigeria’s political contests are increasingly predetermined, urging all parties to urgently reassess their strategies for future polls.
In the FCT elections, the ADC’s performance fell short of its projected influence, a outcome Abati described as a clear signal that the vote “has been won and lost” in the territory. He noted that while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) claimed success in several councils, including Gwagwalada and Kuje, the overall result underscored a failure to translate effort into seats. Specifically, Dr. Paul Amos, the PDP candidate for Abuja Municipal Council, has already announced intentions to challenge the results in court, a move Abati said would be replicated widely.
Turning to Kano State, Abati acknowledged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured victories in two recent by-elections, a outcome that superficially demonstrates Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s capacity to deliver for the party in the state. However, he warned that this表面的 strength masks deeper volatility. The combination of close contests and immediate legal challenges points toward a trend of pervasive post-election litigation leading up to the 2027 general elections.
Abati expressed profound skepticism that recent electoral reforms would mitigate core issues such as vote-buying, malpractice, or systemic irregularities. He contended that expecting the 2026 off-cycle elections to meaningfully reduce these problems “would be too much to hope for.” Instead, he framed the current moment as a criticaljuncture for stakeholders, including the ADC, to analyze their failures and restrategize. The implications of such a strategic shift for Nigeria’s democratic trajectory remain uncertain, he added.
The analysis suggests that Nigeria’s electoral landscape is characterized by entrenched challenges where campaign visibility does not guarantee success, and legal contests are becoming a standard feature of the political process. With parties already positioning for future battles, Abati’s remarks highlight a cycle of contested outcomes and limited faith in institutional reforms, setting the stage for potentially prolonged legal and political disputes through the next election cycle.
