The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has strongly criticised opposition parties over their claims of irregularities in the recently conducted Federal Capital Territory (FCT) elections.
In a statement posted on his verified X account on Sunday, February 22, Keyamo accused opposition figures of exaggerating isolated incidents in an attempt to discredit the entire electoral process.
Describing the opposition as “lazy and shameless,” the minister argued that their reaction to the election outcome reflected frustration over rejection by voters rather than evidence of widespread malpractice.
“Out of a total of 2,822 polling units in the FCT, they display result sheets that were corrected in less than 10 units to attempt to prove that the whole election was marred by irregularities,” he wrote.
According to Keyamo, even if as many as 50 units had issues with corrected or mutilated result sheets, this would still leave more than 2,770 polling units unaffected — a figure he said undermines claims that the election was fundamentally flawed.
He further accused opposition parties of using what he described as “flawed logic” to create unnecessary alarm, warning that such narratives could stir social unrest.
“They go further to use this flawed logic to create mass hysteria that ‘our democracy is in danger,’” he stated.
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The minister maintained that allegations of systemic irregularities were unfounded and suggested that some opposition actors were unwilling to accept electoral defeat.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he added.
The FCT elections have generated debate among political stakeholders, with some opposition figures raising concerns about specific polling units, while ruling party members insist the process was credible overall.
As post-election reactions continue to unfold, observers say the dispute highlights ongoing tensions within Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly around issues of electoral transparency and public trust.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to issue any additional clarifications regarding the specific polling units referenced in the controversy.