Okutepa: Conduct of FCT Area Council Elections Treason Against Our Democracy
• Obidient movement rejects election results
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
A former chairman Body of Benchers and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, has described Saturday’s Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory as “treason against democracy” in Nigeria.
He particularly expressed grave concerns about the state of democracy in Nigeria, stressing that democracy was in serious danger in the country.
Okutepa, who stated these in a series of posts on X on Sunday, however, warned that the 2027 general election would be “more terrible and brazen.”
He also said staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were not alive to their responsibility in some cases, emphasising that the mutilation of election results and arbitrary additions of votes as seen on forms EC8As on social media spoke volume of the rot in the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
While condemning the conduct of the elections, he insisted that it was “democratic sabotage” and “gangsterism in practice”.
Okutepa particularly noted that the declaration of a work-free day by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike on Friday, February 20, 2026, was a prelude to the alleged rigging that took place.
“To call what happened on Saturday 21st February 2026, an election is completely an abuse of language. It is anything, but a free, fair and credible election.
“What happened on Saturday was never a free fair and credible election. It was democratic sabotage where people were prevented from coming out to vote due to unlawful and unconstitutional declarations of work-free day and restrictions of movement of people on the day of election.
“Those who engaged in this democratic imposition have committed treason against the people and against Nigerian constitution. The electoral malpractices were unconstitutional.”
“The Nigerian constitution provides that Nigeria shall be a democratic state and that sovereignty belongs to the people. It provides that no part of Nigeria shall be taken over or governed otherwise than by democratic means.
“Stealing and stuffing ballot papers, thumb printing ballot papers to adding votes to make a particular person or party rejected by the people to be declared winner are all acts of democratic oppression and corruption. It is unconstitutional and treasonable felony,” he stressed.
Okutepa urged Nigerians to speak the truth about what happened, adding that rather than commending what happened in FCT, the people should be bold and courageous to call it what it is.
Meanwhile, the Obidient Movement, has rejected the outcome of the election, describing the process as a “brazen assault” on democracy, while mourning the killing of one of its polling agents during the exercise.
Addressing journalists at the movement’s secretariat in Abuja, yesterday, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr Yunusa Tanko, alleged widespread irregularities, voter suppression and violence, which he said undermined the credibility of the poll.
Tanko said the Obidient Movement and its supporters had backed the African Democratic Congress candidate for AMAC chairmanship, Dr Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr Mo, in what he described as a coalition for change inspired by the vision of a new Nigeria.
“We address you today with a heavy heart, filled with both profound disappointment and righteous anger. The results of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election, held last Saturday, are not just a political setback; they are a brazen assault on the very foundations of our democracy.
“As many of you know, the Obidient Movement and indeed fellow Nigerians threw their full weight behind the ADC candidate, Dr Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr Mo. Inspired by the vision of a new Nigeria, our supporters mobilised with unprecedented passion, creating a powerful coalition for change,” he said.
Tanko alleged that many ADC party agents were harassed and intimidated during the poll, an action he said led to the killing of a representative.
