Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned what it described as anti-democratic antics of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, claiming the development adversely undermined and sabotaged last weekend’s local council poll in the Federal Capital Territory.
Huriwa alleged that the minister treats Abuja residents with scorn and absolute disrespect, yet the President does not give a hoot.
Its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, claimed that the minister “took a number of illegal, unconstitutional, draconian and anti-democratic measures all in his desperation to rig the council poll for the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
He added: “We in HURIWA blame the President for not controlling his Minister of FCT, who openly told APC members to vote and allow him to do the rest, even when it was a few hours to the council election.
“We in the organised civil rights community in Nigeria condemn the officials of INEC for allowing the Minister of FCT to do whatever he wanted to undermine and influence the outcome of the council poll. This illegality tolerated by INEC shows that Professor Amupitan is incompetent and is totally not in control of INEC.”
But the President has congratulated winners of the council elections in the FCT, Kano and Rivers States, describing their victories as a fresh mandate to deepen grassroots governance and democratic accountability.
INEC conducted chairmanship and councillorship elections across the six area councils of the FCT, alongside by-elections in the Ahoada East II and Khana II state constituencies in Rivers State, as well as in the Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies in Kano State.
In a message following the polls, the President urged the victorious candidates to “serve with humility, patriotism and dedication,” stressing that the mandate bestowed on them by the electorate must be treated as “a sacred trust.”
This came as a candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Dr Paul Moses conceded defeat, signalling a narrow chance for litigation.
In a rare show of support, he said in a statement that he accepts the poll’s outcome in good faith.
AMAC incumbent chairman, Christopher Maikalangu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the election by INEC.
On his part, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopeful, Gbenga Hashim, has commended the outcome of the FCT council poll, describing it as a strong indication that his party is regaining momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, despite its internal challenges and political pressure.
Reacting to the results, Hashim congratulated party members and supporters for what he termed an “outstanding performance under difficult circumstances,” saying the polls demonstrated that the PDP remains structurally intact and electorally competitive despite internal challenges.
The Lagos State chapter of the APC described the outcome as a clear referendum on the presidency of Bola Tinubu.
In a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, the party expressed appreciation to Nigerians for what it termed overwhelming support for the ruling party.
The ruling APC won the state Assembly by-election in two constituencies in Kano and clinched five of the FCT area council chairmanship elections. But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured a lone victory in Gwagwalada.
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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the by-elections in the Kano Municipal and Ungogo state constituencies to fill vacant seats in the state House of Assembly.
Declaring the result yesterday, Professor Ibrahim Tajo Sirajo, returning officer for Kano Municipal, affirmed Aliyu Nabil Daneji of APC as the winner of the by-election.
Similarly, INEC returning officer for Ungogo state constituency, Professor Ali Tijjani Abdullahi, declared Aminu Sa’ad Sa’ad of the APC winner of the by-election.
However, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) have raised concerns over voter apathy, logistical shortcomings and alleged political interference in the elections.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director of CISLAC and the Chairman of TMG, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, the groups described the elections as largely peaceful in most polling units, but said significant challenges were recorded across the affected states.
CISLAC and TMG observers warned that Nigerians are gradually losing trust in the electoral process. According to them, when citizens no longer turn out to vote, “it is no longer an election but a selection,” a trend they described as dangerous for democratic governance.
The statement noted that voter turnout was generally low, with many polling units recording poor participation.
In some locations, observers reported that as few as 10 voters cast their ballots throughout the day. The groups cautioned that persistent voter apathy poses a serious threat to democratic participation and public confidence in elections.
Monitoring teams from TAF Africa, formerly The Albino Foundation, and the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities reported accessibility challenges for persons with disabilities.
In rural FCT councils such as Kwali and Abaji, polling units were reportedly located in places inaccessible to wheelchair users. Observers called for a comprehensive audit of INEC’s assistive tools, noting that magnifying glasses and Braille posters were missing in more than 60 per cent of the polling units observed.
