The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has officially set the stage for a judicial showdown following the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, inaugurating a specialized legal team to contest results it claims were compromised by brazen executive brigandage and systemic intimidation.
While the party congratulated its successful candidates most notably Mohammed Kasim, who emerged as the Chairman-elect for Gwagwalada Area Council, the National Working Committee (NWC) maintained that the victory was secured under the most hostile conditions in recent democratic history.
In a statement released on Sunday by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP alleged that the polls were characterized by high-powered money politics and the deployment of armed security personnel to cart away result sheets and harass voters at various polling units.
To address these grievances, the party has commissioned a legal team led by the National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, Esq. The team is tasked with providing immediate assistance to candidates with genuine complaints, with the party leadership emphasizing that prompt action is essential given the strict timelines governing election petitions.
The PDP also lamented incredible voter apathy witnessed during the February 21 exercise.
The party attributed this lack of participation to the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026, which it labeled anti-people.
According to the opposition, the legislation has eroded public confidence in the sanctity of the ballot, leading to a disconnect between the electorate and the democratic process.
The PDP framed the FCT polls as a grim foreshadowing of the 2027 general elections, warning that without urgent legislative corrections by the National Assembly and the Presidency, the nation’s democratic framework faces a potential collapse.
The party urged aggrieved candidates and stakeholders to maintain the sanctity of the ballot by documented evidence, asserting that while some victories were recorded, the overall integrity of the process remained deeply flawed.
