•A polling unit
The Obidient Movement has rejected the outcome of Saturday’s Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election, alleging that the victory declared for the All Progressives Congress was marred by violence, intimidation, and manipulation.
The group called for an immediate investigation into the conduct of the poll, insisting that the announced results did not reflect the will of the electorate, reports Vanguard.
Briefing journalists in Abuja today, the National Coordinator of the movement, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, described the election as a coordinated effort to suppress voters and undermine democracy.
“We address you today with a heavy heart, filled with both profound disappointment and righteous anger. The results of the Abuja Municipal Area Council chairmanship election are not just a political setback; they are a brazen assault on the very foundations of our democracy,” Yunusa said.
The movement disclosed that it supported the African Democratic Congress candidate, Dr. Moses Paul, adding that its supporters mobilised strongly in pursuit of what it termed a new Nigeria.
It accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of contributing to voter apathy by restructuring polling units without adequate public notice, making it difficult for voters to locate their voting centres.
According to the group, the situation turned deadly at the Gwagwa polling unit, where one of its agents, Musa Abubakar, was allegedly killed while resisting an attempt by hoodlums to seize ballot boxes. The movement said the incident created panic among party representatives across several polling areas.
Yunusa alleged that agents were harassed, threatened, and intimidated in a deliberate attempt to silence them, adding that fear forced many to abandon their posts after the killing. He explained that the movement initially avoided raising widespread alarm to prevent further panic among agents still on duty.
While expressing sympathy to the bereaved family, the group said Dr. Moses Paul and his team had visited to show solidarity and support.
The Obidient Movement maintained that voters in AMAC had chosen a new direction and that the declared outcome did not reflect the true will of the people. It called for a comprehensive and transparent review of the election and urged security agencies to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the violence.
“This is no longer about one election. This is a fight for the soul of our nation,” the statement said, while appealing to Nigerians, civil society organisations, and the international community to press electoral authorities to address the alleged irregularities and restore confidence in the electoral process.
