The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Amupitan, has confirmed that staff responsible for operational shortcomings in Kuje and Kwali during the Federal Capital Territory elections will be investigated, with punishments to follow if wrongdoing is confirmed.
Amupitan also stated that transporters who caused delays in moving electoral materials to Kwali Area Council will face blacklisting. He made the remarks while reviewing the FCT polls with Resident Electoral Commissioners at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
The meeting took place four days after the FCT council elections and by-elections in Rivers and Kano states on Saturday. It provided an opportunity for Amupitan to receive feedback from resident electoral commissioners on election challenges and preparations for the 2027 general election. All resident electoral commissioners from the 36 states and the FCT attended, alongside representatives from state independent electoral commissions, who visited to explore collaboration for improving local government elections.
The FCT elections covered all six area councils for chairmanship and councillorship positions. By-elections were held in Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies in Rivers State, while legislative contests took place in Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies in Kano State.
In the FCT results, APC’s Danjuma Shekwolo won the Kuje Area Council chairmanship with 17,269 votes. In Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), APC candidate Christopher Maikalangu was declared winner with 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes. APC’s Daniel Nuhu won in Kwali Area Council with 17,032 votes, defeating PDP’s Haruna Pai, who received 8,575 votes. In Gwagwalada Area Council, PDP’s Mohammed Kasim secured 22,165 votes, defeating APC’s Yahaya Shehu, who scored 17,788 votes.
