The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised opposition parties over their reactions to the outcome of the Federal Capital Territory area council elections, accusing them of undermining the credibility of the process.
Keyamo, in a post on X (Formerly Twitter) on Sunday, dismissed allegations of widespread irregularities, describing the opposition’s claims as baseless and exaggerated.
“This set of opposition fellows are a bunch of lazy and shameless characters. The futile excuses they give for losing elections have become their opium to numb their pain, disappointment and shame for their rejection by the electorate after all their theatrics and grandstanding. Nigerians are NOT FOOLS,” he wrote.
The minister argued that the complaints being circulated by opposition figures were not sufficient to discredit the overall conduct of the elections.
“Out of a total of 2,822 polling units in FCT, they display result sheets that were corrected (for whatever reason) in less than 10 units to attempt to prove that THE WHOLE ELECTION was marred by irregularities,” Keyamo stated.
He further maintained that even if more units were affected, the scale would still be insignificant compared to the total number of polling units.
“Assuming it is even 50 units that had corrected (or mutilated) sheets, that leaves you with over 2,770 units,” he added.
Keyamo also accused the opposition of attempting to incite public discontent through their rhetoric.
“They go further to use this flawed logic to create mass hysteria that ‘our democracy is in danger’ and attempt to stir social unrest amongst unsuspecting Nigerians,” he said.
The minister stressed that opposition parties only accept election outcomes when they are favourable to them.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he wrote.
His comments come amid criticisms and objections raised by some opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, following the announcement of results in parts of the FCT.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election.
According to the Returning Officer, Mohammed Nurudeen, Ishaku polled 18,466 votes to defeat his closest rivals.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship election held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
INEC also returned Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the elected chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The collation officer for AMAC, Andrew Abue, said Maikalangu secured 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, however, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious.
Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, said Kasim scored 22,165 votes to defeat Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes.
The mixed outcomes across the councils have continued to generate debate, with parties offering differing interpretations of the credibility and implications of the elections.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised opposition parties over their reactions to the outcome of the Federal Capital Territory area council elections, accusing them of undermining the credibility of the process.
Keyamo, in a post on X (Formerly Twitter) on Sunday, dismissed allegations of widespread irregularities, describing the opposition’s claims as baseless and exaggerated.
“This set of opposition fellows are a bunch of lazy and shameless characters. The futile excuses they give for losing elections have become their opium to numb their pain, disappointment and shame for their rejection by the electorate after all their theatrics and grandstanding. Nigerians are NOT FOOLS,” he wrote.
The minister argued that the complaints being circulated by opposition figures were not sufficient to discredit the overall conduct of the elections.
“Out of a total of 2,822 polling units in FCT, they display result sheets that were corrected (for whatever reason) in less than 10 units to attempt to prove that THE WHOLE ELECTION was marred by irregularities,” Keyamo stated.
He further maintained that even if more units were affected, the scale would still be insignificant compared to the total number of polling units.
“Assuming it is even 50 units that had corrected (or mutilated) sheets, that leaves you with over 2,770 units,” he added.
Keyamo also accused the opposition of attempting to incite public discontent through their rhetoric.
“They go further to use this flawed logic to create mass hysteria that ‘our democracy is in danger’ and attempt to stir social unrest amongst unsuspecting Nigerians,” he said.
The minister stressed that opposition parties only accept election outcomes when they are favourable to them.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he wrote.
His comments come amid criticisms and objections raised by some opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, following the announcement of results in parts of the FCT.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election.
According to the Returning Officer, Mohammed Nurudeen, Ishaku polled 18,466 votes to defeat his closest rivals.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship election held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
INEC also returned Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the elected chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The collation officer for AMAC, Andrew Abue, said Maikalangu secured 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, however, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious.
Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, said Kasim scored 22,165 votes to defeat Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes.
The mixed outcomes across the councils have continued to generate debate, with parties offering differing interpretations of the credibility and implications of the elections.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised opposition parties over their reactions to the outcome of the Federal Capital Territory area council elections, accusing them of undermining the credibility of the process.
Keyamo, in a post on X (Formerly Twitter) on Sunday, dismissed allegations of widespread irregularities, describing the opposition’s claims as baseless and exaggerated.
“This set of opposition fellows are a bunch of lazy and shameless characters. The futile excuses they give for losing elections have become their opium to numb their pain, disappointment and shame for their rejection by the electorate after all their theatrics and grandstanding. Nigerians are NOT FOOLS,” he wrote.
The minister argued that the complaints being circulated by opposition figures were not sufficient to discredit the overall conduct of the elections.
“Out of a total of 2,822 polling units in FCT, they display result sheets that were corrected (for whatever reason) in less than 10 units to attempt to prove that THE WHOLE ELECTION was marred by irregularities,” Keyamo stated.
He further maintained that even if more units were affected, the scale would still be insignificant compared to the total number of polling units.
“Assuming it is even 50 units that had corrected (or mutilated) sheets, that leaves you with over 2,770 units,” he added.
Keyamo also accused the opposition of attempting to incite public discontent through their rhetoric.
“They go further to use this flawed logic to create mass hysteria that ‘our democracy is in danger’ and attempt to stir social unrest amongst unsuspecting Nigerians,” he said.
The minister stressed that opposition parties only accept election outcomes when they are favourable to them.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he wrote.
His comments come amid criticisms and objections raised by some opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, following the announcement of results in parts of the FCT.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election.
According to the Returning Officer, Mohammed Nurudeen, Ishaku polled 18,466 votes to defeat his closest rivals.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship election held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
INEC also returned Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the elected chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The collation officer for AMAC, Andrew Abue, said Maikalangu secured 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, however, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious.
Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, said Kasim scored 22,165 votes to defeat Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes.
The mixed outcomes across the councils have continued to generate debate, with parties offering differing interpretations of the credibility and implications of the elections.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised opposition parties over their reactions to the outcome of the Federal Capital Territory area council elections, accusing them of undermining the credibility of the process.
Keyamo, in a post on X (Formerly Twitter) on Sunday, dismissed allegations of widespread irregularities, describing the opposition’s claims as baseless and exaggerated.
“This set of opposition fellows are a bunch of lazy and shameless characters. The futile excuses they give for losing elections have become their opium to numb their pain, disappointment and shame for their rejection by the electorate after all their theatrics and grandstanding. Nigerians are NOT FOOLS,” he wrote.
The minister argued that the complaints being circulated by opposition figures were not sufficient to discredit the overall conduct of the elections.
“Out of a total of 2,822 polling units in FCT, they display result sheets that were corrected (for whatever reason) in less than 10 units to attempt to prove that THE WHOLE ELECTION was marred by irregularities,” Keyamo stated.
He further maintained that even if more units were affected, the scale would still be insignificant compared to the total number of polling units.
“Assuming it is even 50 units that had corrected (or mutilated) sheets, that leaves you with over 2,770 units,” he added.
Keyamo also accused the opposition of attempting to incite public discontent through their rhetoric.
“They go further to use this flawed logic to create mass hysteria that ‘our democracy is in danger’ and attempt to stir social unrest amongst unsuspecting Nigerians,” he said.
The minister stressed that opposition parties only accept election outcomes when they are favourable to them.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he wrote.
His comments come amid criticisms and objections raised by some opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, following the announcement of results in parts of the FCT.
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election.
According to the Returning Officer, Mohammed Nurudeen, Ishaku polled 18,466 votes to defeat his closest rivals.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship election held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
INEC also returned Christopher Maikalangu of the APC as the elected chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
The collation officer for AMAC, Andrew Abue, said Maikalangu secured 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, however, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious.
Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, said Kasim scored 22,165 votes to defeat Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes.
The mixed outcomes across the councils have continued to generate debate, with parties offering differing interpretations of the credibility and implications of the elections.
