The National Patriots Movement has described the recently concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) local elections as a credible and peaceful exercise, calling it a practical test run ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued after the declaration of results, the group said the conduct of the polls across 2,822 polling units demonstrated institutional stability and voter maturity, despite opposition claims of irregularities in a handful of locations.
According to figures made public by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), voting and collation were completed across all area councils, with only isolated incidents of result sheet corrections reported in fewer than 10 polling units.
Opposition parties circulated copies of corrected result sheets, arguing that such alterations pointed to broader systemic flaws.
However, electoral data analysts note that even if one were to assume disputes in up to 50 polling units, that would still represent less than 2 percent of the total 2,822 units.
In election law, irregularities must be shown to be substantial and capable of altering the final outcome before they can invalidate a poll.
So far, no evidence has been presented to demonstrate that the complained-of corrections materially affected council-wide results.
In some of the cited polling units, corrected figures reportedly did not disadvantage opposition candidates and, in certain instances, even reflected outcomes favourable to them.
Observers argue that administrative corrections—when endorsed by party agents—do not automatically amount to electoral fraud.
The National Patriots noted that elections are not mathematical perfection exercises but institutional processes designed to reflect the aggregate will of voters. “A few disputed sheets cannot logically invalidate thousands of uncontested polling units,” the statement read.
The group further commended INEC for ensuring transparency in collation procedures and praised security agencies for maintaining calm throughout the exercise.
Stakeholders also acknowledged the role of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in guaranteeing a peaceful environment without visible executive interference in the electoral process.
Political observers suggest that the FCT polls offer an early signal for 2027: voters appear increasingly focused on governance performance rather than rhetorical mobilisation.
The outcome, they argue, reflects a competitive democratic environment rather than the collapse of credibility alleged in some quarters.
For the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), supporters say the results in the FCT, alongside recent contests in other states, indicate that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu retains measurable political goodwill despite ongoing economic reforms.
The National Patriots concluded that while opposition parties retain the constitutional right to seek redress through election tribunals, attempts to frame statistically minor administrative issues as systemic democratic failure risk inflaming tensions unnecessarily.
As Nigeria looks toward 2027, the FCT exercise may well stand as an early institutional stress test—one that, by available numbers, appears to have held.
Dr. Imran Khazaly
Headlinenews.news Political desk.
