The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) concluded the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections over the weekend, with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) securing victories in five of the six councils. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won only Gwagwalada Area Council.
Following the results, Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, stated that multiple procedural shortcomings marred both the election and its preparatory phases. Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’ on Monday, he pointed to the imposition of a 22-hour curfew as a key issue, a measure he noted was widely opposed by critical stakeholders and could have suppressed voter participation.
Ememobong also highlighted a perceived lack of coordination between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Police Command, creating public dissonance in the election’s administration. He cautioned against the Minister’s active public presence during the exercise, reiterating that the Minister is not an electoral participant in the FCT and that such visible support for a party could compromise the process’s integrity.
The PDP spokesperson framed the observed irregularities as a potential indicator for the 2027 general elections. “If this is a foreshadowing of what 2027 would be, opposition parties are already meeting and will soon come out with a joint position,” he said, adding that elections must ultimately reflect the popular will rather than merely adhere to a scheduled date.
The FCT area council polls are seen as a key test of electoral preparedness and inter-party dynamics ahead of future national contests. INEC has not yet issued a comprehensive official statement responding to the specific allegations raised by the PDP. The commission’s conduct of the election is now subject to intensified scrutiny from opposition groups and civil society observers.
