Mr Abdulhameed Aliyu, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, says the outcome of the Feb. 12, FCT Area Councils election is an indication that Nigeria is moving towards a true democracy.
Aliyu, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said the results as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), showed that the election was keenly contested by political parties in the country.
He commended the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, who supervised the poll, for providing a conducive atmosphere for the smooth conduct of the election.
”Towards the build-up to the election, Aliyu defied all odds amidst very tight work schedule and toured all the area councils to preach peace and campaign for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
” The minister in a grand style moved her campaign train made up of APC stalwarts in and around the FCT, in a bid to drum the best support for the party’s candidates across all the six Area Councils,” he said.
The lawyer said that the Minister and her political allies mobilised massive supports from different communities across the FCT for the APC candidates.
” But fate made it that the APC will only coast to victory in three area councils, while the main opposition party, PDP got the other three area councils, including Abuja Municipal Council where the seat of power of the federation is situated.
” It is worthy of note that in the recent political history of Area Councils and Local Council election in Nigeria, only Kaduna State recorded an opposition party emerging victorious and clinching few seats against the interest of the ruling party, and now the FCT.
“The votes of the electorate in any poll can only be the expression of their voices, supporting or dissenting.
” It is for this singular reason that elections all over the world are preached to be free, fair, credible and transparent.
” This is to ensure that at the end of the exercise, the voice of the masses, including those of the voiceless will be loudly and clearly heard, obeyed and respected,” he said. (NAN)
