The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised opposition parties over their claims of irregularities in the just-concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council election.
In a post on X on Sunday, Keyamo described opposition figures as “a bunch of lazy and shameless characters” for questioning the credibility of the poll conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He accused them of exaggerating isolated incidents to discredit the overall outcome.
According to him, the opposition relied on a handful of disputed polling units to create what he characterised as unnecessary hysteria.
APC Dominates Poll
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured five out of the six chairmanship seats declared by INEC.
In Bwari, Hon. Joshua Ishaku emerged the winner. Hon. Chris Garki clinched victory in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). Hon. Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo won in Kuje, while Hon. Nuhu Daniel Kwali secured Kwali. In Abaji, Hon. Abdullahi Umar Abubakar was declared elected.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the Gwagwalada chairmanship seat, where Hon. Kasim Mohammed emerged chairman-elect.
INEC subsequently concluded collation and formally declared the results across the six area councils.
Opposition Raises Concerns
Following the announcement, opposition candidates alleged irregularities during the exercise.
They pointed to low voter turnout, reports of voter inducement, and discrepancies in some polling unit result sheets. Some parties also called for further scrutiny of the process.
Keyamo, however, dismissed the complaints.
He argued that citing a limited number of disputed polling units could not invalidate the entire election conducted across the FCT.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he said, insisting that the opposition should accept what he described as the verdict of the electorate.
