APC leads in five FCT councils, wins Rivers seats

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is coasting to a lead in the elections contested yesterday,  in the FCT, Rivers, and Kano.

According to reports by The Nation, APC won in Ahoada East and Khana 2 state constituencies of Rivers.

It was also on the edge of victory in the by-elections in Ungoggo and Kano Municipal constituencies in Kano following the boycott of the polls by its biggest rivals, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Results seen on INEC’s IRev portal last night showed the APC to be dominant in four of the area councils in the FCT: Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Kwali and Abaji.

It had a narrow lead ahead of the PDP in Kuje, while the PDP also led the APC with a narrow margin in Gwagwalada.

The performance of the ADC appeared pathetic across the FCT.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, seemed to blame the poor outing of the ADC  on alleged voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT, including alleged collaboration between APC agents and some security personnel.

However, the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and INEC expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the FCT elections.

Voter turnout in the city centre of Abuja was generally low, but it was much better on the outskirts where the majority of the population reside.

The same story of low turnout played out in Kano and Rivers states.

Ukalikpe Napoleon and Loolo Bulabari Henrietta, both of APC, were declared by INEC as winners of the by-elections in Ahoada East State Constituency II and Khana 2 respectively.

The Returning Officer for Ahoada East, Prof. Rosemary Ogbo, announced the result and certified that the poll was duly conducted and contested.

She said Ukalipe polled 3,980 votes to defeat Ego Marvelous of the Action Alliance (AA), who scored 33 votes.

Others contestants were  Godstime Egor of Action Party of Nigeria (APN), 38 votes; Oseja Clifford of Boot Party (BP), 11 votes; Ephraim Raphael Ede of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), seven votes; Ogide Samson Greatman of Young Progressives Party (YPP), seven votes; and Kwodu Saturday Prosper of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) six votes.

Prof. Ogbo said Ukalipe, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes, was duly returned elected.

Loolo Bulabari Henrietta, on the other hand, polled a total of 7,647 votes to defeat the candidates of the African Alliance, New Nigerian Peoples Party, Young Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the State, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, described the by-election as peaceful and orderly.

Yomere told newsmen during an assessment tour of voting activities in wards 8 and 3 in Khana constituency ll that the exercise took place without incidents of violence.

Commenting on voter apathy observed in some areas, Yomere said that INEC should not be blamed, stressing that the commission fulfilled its responsibility by carrying out adequate publicity and necessary preparations ahead of the election.

He expressed concern over voter apathy, but commended efforts made by INEC and civil society organisations in the sensitisation of voters before the election.

“We took it upon ourselves to go from local council to local council, pleading with traditional rulers, politicians and CSOs to encourage voters,” he said.

Gov Yusuf hails Kano by-elections as NNPP, PDP, ADC boycott polls

Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf praised the “peaceful conduct” of the by-elections in the state.

The ADC, NNPP and PDP opted out of the elections, but Accord Party, AAC, ADC, APC, APN, APP, PRP, WPP and ZLP took part.

The Governor’s spokesman, Sanusi Bature, thanked INEC and security agencies for ensuring the exercise was conducted orderly and without hitches.

“The calm atmosphere across polling units reflects the growing political maturity of our people,” he said, expressing appreciation to residents of Kano Municipal and Ungogo for their cooperation.

The governor commended political parties, especially APC members, for obeying electoral rules.

“For the first time, we have had a crisis-free election in Kano,” Yusuf said, adding that the development aligned with his administration’s Kano First Agenda.

The governor pledged continued prioritisation of citizens’ security and vowed to work with electoral bodies for transparent and credible future elections.

The Kano Resident Electoral Commissioner, Amb. Abdu Zango, blamed the leadership of NNPP and PDP for not fielding candidates for the by-election, insisting that INEC was ready to welcome any party that met all the necessary requirements for the by-election.

“You have gone round and seen things for yourselves. As far as security is concerned, you can see for yourselves, no issue.

“And we really want to appreciate and commend citizens and voters. They have behaved responsibly. No violence. No threat whatsoever; visible or even invisible. So, we are very happy.

“The turnout of voters in polling units may be low because of the Ramadan. Second, I think the general feeling that this is a very small election involving only two candidates and very few parties.

“We have nine parties that fielded candidates. For the parties that did not participate, INEC did not receive any complaint from them. We have not received any accusation or anything. That they are not participating is entirely their responsibility.

“We don’t decide who participates. Whichever party that does primary and satisfies all the necessary guidelines as contained in the Electoral Act, is eligible to field candidates,” the INEC Resident Commissioner said.

FCT residents await area council election results

Reports from different parts of the FCT last night showed that the APC performed well in places like Nyanya, Karu, Orozo, Karshi, Kabusa ,Giji, Gwagwa and Jiwa. The PDP also did well in Gwagwalada and Kuje.

The ADC chairmanship candidate in AMAC, Dr. Paul Moses, who had boasted about his chances in the election, got a total of seven of the 10 votes cast at his Polling Unit 076, Sani Abacha Estate, Wuse 4. The APC got two there while one vote was declared invalid.

He appeared on social media last night, attributing his poor outing to alleged intimidation of his supporters.

The APC flag bearer in the AMAC election, Christopher Maikalangu, scored 229 votes in his Garki village polling unit 004.

As the results began to trickle in, APC chieftains including the National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, his predecessor Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun went to the party’s situation room to monitor the results.

Residents of the FCT are eagerly awaiting the official results from INEC.

ADC alleges poll interference, raises concern over IReV disruption

The ADC said it had received reports of “voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT, including alleged collaboration between agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some security personnel.”

It also raised concerns over disruptions to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which it claimed remained “inaccessible even as results were being collated.”

“We find this a curious coincidence and call on INEC to urgently restore full IReV functionality, with a clear public explanation of the disruption,” the party said, but urged its agents and voters to remain calm, vigilant and to document all incidents observed during the exercise.

It also condemned the movement of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike around polling units in Abuja during the council elections, describing it as interference in the electoral process.

National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said the Minister’s presence at voting centres under the guise of monitoring could undermine the integrity of the exercise.

“The FCT Minister is not a registered voter in the FCT, and as a known partisan and cabinet minister, Wike has no constitutional role in the electoral exercise.

“His presence during active voting is therefore not only vexatious and meddlesome but also risks intimidating voters and officials,” he said.

INEC must protect the democratic space from manipulation, says Turaki

Factional National Chairman of PDP, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, asked INEC to protect the sanctity of the nation’s democratic process from any form of manipulation.

He was reacting to a viral video of the FCT Minister at a campaign rally of the APC where he told them to play their part during the Area Council elections and leave the rest to him.

Turaki said Wike’s statement was indicative of his intention to manipulate the elections in favour of the All Progressives Congress after getting two chairmanship candidates of the party to step down for their APC counterpart.

Turaki described the minister’s statement as deeply disturbing.

“It conveys a troubling mindset and suggests a clear intent to interfere with, manipulate, or unduly influence the electoral process.

“Such conduct is unacceptable in a democratic society and constitutes a direct threat to the credibility and integrity of elections,” he said.

He added: “At a time when Nigerians expect transparency, neutrality and strict adherence to democratic norms especially from public office holders, this utterance falls far below the standards expected of a serving minister of the Federal Republic.

“The PDP therefore calls on the Independent National Electoral Commission to take immediate notice of this undemocratic statement and to unequivocally dissociate itself from any individual or action capable of compromising the credibility of the electoral process.

“INEC must reassure Nigerians through decisive action that it remains committed to conducting free, fair and credible elections.

“Democracy must be protected, and no one, regardless of position or influence, should be allowed to undermine the will of the people.”

Amupitan to FCT residents: Your voice will be heard loudly

Chairman of INEC Prof. Joash Amupitan went round some polling units to monitor the process.

He assured residents of the FCT that their voices would be heard loudly and their vote would count in the elections.

Prof. Amupitan expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.

He said all the Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems BVAS deployed for the conduct of polls worked perfectly.

He said available reports indicated that the elections were going on peacefully with impressive turnout of voters in several polling units, even though voters’ turnout was low in some other places.

He commended the peaceful manner voters conducted themselves saying it is sign of democratic development in the country.

Police, NSCDC declare FCT council polls hitch-free

The police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also satisfied with the process.

The FCT Police Commissioner Miller Dantawaye commended his officers and men for a job well done.

He said particular attention was given to polling units located in remote and border communities, including Igu Village in Bwari Area Council, Yangoji in Kwali Area Council, Giri in Gwagwalada Area Council, as well as polling units in Kuje and Abaji area councils.

The CP also expressed appreciation to FCT residents and voters for their cooperation, which significantly contributed to the peaceful atmosphere observed across the Area Councils.

The NSCDC Commandant in the FCT, Dr Olusola Odumosu, praised voters for conducting themselves in an orderly manner, stating also that the peaceful atmosphere so far was a result of proactive planning and coordination among security agencies.

While acknowledging that no electoral process is 100% perfect, he emphasised that the current exercise provides a critical opportunity for the security community to review findings and make necessary improvements ahead of future national transitions.

Smooth conduct of FCT election, sign of credible, free, fair poll in 2027 – Kalu

The Secretary of the APC National Campaign Council for the FCT and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said the conduct of yesterday’s elections was a clear sign of credible general elections in 2027.

Kalu who led a high-level team of the campaign council on election monitoring in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election, stressing that INEC should leverage the success recorded in the FCT Area Council election for future elections.

Addressing newsmen after the monitoring exercise, Kalu particularly commended the electoral umpire for early deployment of materials and personnel and for the general conduct of the elections.

“In all the places we visited, INEC’s logistics were efficient. Materials arrived on time, and ad hoc staff,  including NYSC members, were well briefed on their duties. By 8:00 to 9:00 a.m., voting had commenced in most polling units,” he noted.

He also noted that INEC coordinated effectively with political parties, stressing that party agents across polling units confirmed fair and equal treatment, with no evidence of preferential conduct.

The Deputy Speaker, who was accompanied by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Duro Meseko, the Minister of State for FCT, Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, Deputy House Leader, Hon. Halims Abdullahi and other party chieftains also applauded the conduct of security agencies.

Wike hails INEC, security operatives over conduct of FCT polls

FCT Minister Wike hailed INEC for the good conduct of the area council elections.

Wike also applauded the security arrangements and conduct of personnel on the field.

He gave the commendation after monitoring the elections in Garki, Karu (chief palace), Karshi, Apo and Ketti in Kabusa polling units.

The minister said: “We thank God that everywhere is peaceful. The only issue we have observed is low voter turnout, particularly within the city, and that has always been the case.

“However, when you go to some of the satellite towns, the turnout is quite impressive.

“What is important is that the election is peaceful, no violence, no destruction of ballot papers or ballot boxes. This means security has done very well.

“In the past, we used to have incidents of violence in some polling units, but in this case, we have not recorded any such violence.

“From what we are seeing now, everything appears to be moving smoothly in terms of the use of BVAS.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and comment based on what we observe.”

Responding to comments by the senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, on the restriction of movement in FCT during the election, Wike described her criticism as unnecessary, adding that she did not understand the workings of government.

Wike, who said he did not want to join issues with her, said: “It is unfortunate. I never imposed a curfew. In my statement, I said with the approval of Mr. President that there would be a restriction of movement from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“This is not the first time such a measure has been taken during elections.

“I clearly stated that it was with the approval of Mr. President. People should take time to read statements properly and understand what was said before reacting.

“I do not want to join issues. At the end of the election, when the results come out, we will all know.

“The way people have been peaceful and orderly during the voting period, they should also remain peaceful and orderly during collation.

“That is usually the period when those who feel they may lose might want to cause problems.

“I urge everyone to remain calm and allow the process to be concluded peacefully.”

Gbenga Hashim delivers polling unit to PDP

Presidential aspirant of the PDP, Mr. Gbenga Hashim, delivered his polling unit in Big Cele Settlement in Dutse Alhaji, Bwari Area Council to the party with 75 votes.

The APC got two votes and ADC three votes at the polling unit.

Speaking shortly after the declaration of results at the polling unit, Hashim expressed appreciation to residents for their peaceful participation and support.

“This victory belongs to the people. It reflects consistent engagement, listening leadership, and our shared commitment to progress at the grassroots,” he said.

FCT council polls peaceful, says Yiaga Africa

Election observer group, Yiaga Africa, commended the largely peaceful conduct of the Area Council elections in the FCT.

But it alleged vote buying in a few places.

In a preliminary statement jointly signed by its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, and Director of Programmes, Cynthia Mbamalu, the organisation said voters who turned out for the exercise were able to cast their ballots without widespread disruption.

“Observers reported that voters who presented themselves at polling units were afforded the opportunity to exercise their franchise in a generally calm atmosphere,” the group stated.

Yiaga Africa disclosed that it deployed observers to monitor the election across the 62 wards of the FCT to independently assess the process.

Despite the peaceful environment, the group expressed concern over what it described as poor voter participation in most polling units.

“Voter turnout was generally low, with many polling units recording sparse attendance throughout the day,” the statement noted.

The civic group, however, raised the alarm over reported cases of vote buying, describing the development as a recurring threat to Nigeria’s electoral integrity.

“Our observers documented incidents of vote buying at several polling units, underscoring the continued vulnerability of the electoral process to monetary inducement,” the organisation said.

Yiaga Africa also lamented that the practice persisted despite prior directives by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to security agencies to clamp down on electoral offenders.

“Despite prior assurances and directives issued by INEC to security agencies to identify and apprehend both vote buyers and sellers, these illicit practices reportedly continued in several locations,” the statement added.