KEY POINTS

• PDP is urging INEC to immediately release pending results from two wards in Kuje Area Council.

• INEC says the delay is due to logistical collation problems, not interference.

• APC claims broad victories across FCT councils as political tensions and legal threats rise.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to urgently announce the remaining results from the chairmanship election in Kuje Area Council, warning that the delay is raising suspicion and anxiety among voters and political stakeholders.

In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ini Ememobong, the party expressed concern that results from two wards were yet to be declared in Kuje, despite most polling unit figures already uploaded to the electoral commission’s viewing portal.

According to him, the delay has heightened fears that the outcome could be altered.

He insisted that election results must reflect the true will of voters, stressing that any manipulation would undermine the credibility of the process and erode public trust in democratic institutions.

INEC explains delay at Kuje

Electoral officials, however, attributed the delay to operational challenges rather than interference. The Supervising Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Kuje poll, Abubakar Dambo, explained that results from eight of the ten wards had already been collated, while the remaining two were still undergoing verification due to logistical errors involving collation officers.

He assured that the commission was working to resolve the issue and complete the process in line with electoral guidelines.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, through its National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, congratulated supporters over what it described as strong performances in local government elections held across the Federal Capital Territory, as well as in Kano and Rivers states.

He listed Kuje among councils won by the party, even though the final declaration for the area remained pending. Earlier official results indicated that the APC secured victories in several councils, while the PDP won in Gwagwalada.

President Bola Tinubu also commended electoral officials, security agencies, and voters for what he described as peaceful polls. Despite this, opposition parties have continued to question aspects of the elections, citing low voter turnout and alleged irregularities.

The PDP has already inaugurated a legal team to prepare petitions arising from the council polls, signalling that legal challenges may follow once final results are declared.