By Adeola Balogun
The Obidient Movement has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmanship election, describing the process as a “brazen assault” on democracy, while mourning the killing of one of its polling agents during the exercise.
Addressing journalists at the movement’s secretariat in Abuja on Monday, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, alleged widespread irregularities, voter suppression and violence, which he said undermined the credibility of the poll.
The protest comes amid reports that the All Progressives Congress swept five of the six area council chairmanship seats in the Federal Capital Territory.
The ruling party won in AMAC, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the Peoples Democratic Party secured victory in Gwagwalada.
The elections, conducted to fill six chairmanship and 62 councillorship seats, were characterised by low voter turnout and allegations of vote-buying.
Tanko said the Obidient Movement and its supporters had backed the African Democratic Congress candidate for AMAC chairmanship, Dr Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr Mo, in what he described as a coalition for change inspired by the vision of a new Nigeria.
“We address you today with a heavy heart, filled with both profound disappointment and righteous anger. The results of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election, held last Saturday, are not just a political setback; they are a brazen assault on the very foundations of our democracy,” he said.
“As many of you know, the Obidient Movement and indeed fellow Nigerians threw their full weight behind the ADC candidate, Dr Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr Mo. Inspired by the vision of a new Nigeria, our supporters mobilised with unprecedented passion, creating a powerful coalition for change.”
Tanko alleged that many ADC party agents were harassed and intimidated during the poll, an action he said led to the killing of a representative.
The group coordinator lamented that the incident created widespread fear among its agents, many of whom fled after the attack.
He said, “Our agents on the ground were systematically targeted. They were harassed, threatened, and intimidated in a desperate attempt to silence them.
“Tragically, this campaign of fear culminated in the ultimate price: one of our most dedicated agents, a patriot named Musa Abubakar (Dege), was brutally murdered at his post in the Gwagwa polling unit for resisting a daring attempt by hoodlums to hijack ballot boxes and subvert the will of voters.
“The fear factor was also what they used in threatening other agents to the point where they fled, especially after seeing one of their own killed and lying in his own blood.”
Describing the deceased as a devoted family man and patriot, the movement insisted that his death must not go unpunished.
It accused those behind the alleged electoral fraud and violence of being responsible for his killing and commended Dr Mo and his team for visiting the family in solidarity.
“Let me be clear: Musa’s death is not just a statistic. He was a husband, a father, a son, and a Nigerian who believed in a better future. His blood is on the hands of those who orchestrated this electoral fraud and the thugs they hired to enforce it.
“We appreciate Dr Mo and his team for visiting the family immediately in solidarity and providing support. We condemn and are outraged by the act of stealing the people’s mandate. The people of AMAC spoke clearly with their votes, choosing a new direction with Dr Mo and the ADC.
“Their voice was stolen in broad daylight. We will not stand by and watch our democracy desecrated. We demand a full and transparent review of the election results and call on the security agencies to bring the perpetrators of this violence, especially the murderers of Mr Musa, to justice,” Tanko urged.
He also blamed the electoral umpire for contributing to voter apathy, alleging that polling units were divided without adequate public notice.
According to him, the intervention of former presidential candidate Peter Obi boosted participation.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission contributed to the voters’ apathy by dividing the polling units without informing the people. Making it difficult for voters to locate their polling units. Many left in frustration and not voting with a seven per cent turnout,” Yunusa stated.
“HE Peter Obi showed his capacity with the love of the people who came out to support the candidates of the party within a short time of joining the ADC by calling his supporters to come out and vote. This explains the marginal increase in voters when compared with the previous FCT local government elections.
“We were clearly ahead in the polls, and the will of the people was undeniable. Yet, what we witnessed was a criminal subversion of that will. We must condemn this electoral injustice in the strongest possible terms. We urge INEC to act immediately to address these grave allegations and restore the sanctity of the ballot,” he stated.