The Obidient Movement has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election, describing the exercise as a “brazen assault” on democracy and alleging widespread irregularities and violence, including the killing of one of its polling agents.
Addressing journalists at the movement’s secretariat in Abuja on Monday, its National Coordinator, Yunusa Tanko, claimed that the process was marred by voter suppression, intimidation of party agents and electoral malpractice that undermined the credibility of the poll.
The protest followed reports that the All Progressives Congress won five of the six area council chairmanship seats in the Federal Capital Territory.
The ruling party secured victories in AMAC, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the Peoples Democratic Party clinched Gwagwalada.
The elections were conducted to fill six chairmanship and 62 councillorship seats across the FCT.
Tanko said the movement and its supporters backed the African Democratic Congress candidate for AMAC chairmanship, Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr Mo, in what he described as a coalition for change inspired by the vision of a new Nigeria.
He alleged that several ADC agents were harassed and intimidated during the poll, adding that the situation escalated with the killing of one of their representatives, identified as Musa Abubakar (Dege), at the Gwagwa polling unit.
According to Tanko, Abubakar was attacked while resisting an attempt by hoodlums to hijack ballot boxes.
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“Our agents on the ground were systematically targeted. They were harassed, threatened and intimidated in a desperate attempt to silence them,” Tanko said.
“Tragically, this campaign of fear culminated in the ultimate price: one of our most dedicated agents was brutally murdered at his post.”
He described the deceased as a husband, father and patriot whose death must not go unpunished, and called on security agencies to apprehend those responsible.
The movement also demanded a full and transparent review of the election results, insisting that the will of the people in AMAC had been subverted.
Tanko further accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of contributing to voter apathy by allegedly dividing polling units without adequate public notice, making it difficult for voters to locate their centres.
He claimed that turnout was low, estimating participation at about seven per cent, and argued that the intervention of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, encouraged more supporters to participate.
INEC and security agencies had yet to respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.