ADC Candidate for AMAC Warns FCT Minister Against Interfering in Council Polls
Dr. Moses Paul, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship, has urged Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike to respect the electoral process ahead of Saturday’s council elections.
Addressing residents in Abuja on Thursday, Paul insisted that voter sovereignty must be upheld in the AMAC contest. He referenced the presence of former senators Fatima Balarabe and Obika Joshua as part of his campaign’s structure tasked with protecting votes.
“To the minister, this is not Obia-Akpor; you can’t write votes in AMAC,” Paul stated, Drawing a comparison to local government practices in Rivers State, where Wike previously served as governor. “Somebody should tell the minister that Dr. Mo says that the will of the people will count.”
Paul outlined a vision for AMAC centered on decisive leadership to address pressing issues of insecurity, poverty, and lawlessness. He asserted that residents demand substantive governance change, declaring, “Enough of people dying, enough of poverty. We own this city; the city belongs to the people.”
He called for robust voter turnout, particularly among youth, framing the election as a critical opportunity to reshape local governance in the capital territory. “On Saturday, there’s going to be a new AMAC, where boldness, objectivity, decisiveness and fearlessness will take centre stage,” he added.
The AMAC chairmanship election is part of broader local government polls across the FCT scheduled for this weekend. The contest has drawn attention due to Paul’s direct challenge to the FCT Minister, who holds supervisory authority over the territory’s administration. Paul’s campaign emphasizes grassroots mobilization and claims of widespread public desire for improved service delivery and security within the municipal council.
The candidate’s admonition highlights the politically charged atmosphere preceding the vote. Observers note that the outcome of the AMAC election could influence the political dynamics within the FCT, a region administered directly by the federal government through the minister’s office. Voters are expected to decide between Paul’s ADC platform and candidates from other parties in the council chairmanship race.
Polling units across Abuja will open on Saturday for the council elections, with results anticipated to shape local governance for the next four years.
