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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised opposition parties for questioning the credibility of the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, accusing them of only deeming polls “fair” when they win.
In a post on X(formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Keyamo dismissed allegations of widespread irregularities as exaggerated and unfounded.
This set of opposition fellows are a bunch of lazy and shameless characters. The futile excuses they give for losing elections have become their opium to numb their pain, disappointment and shame for their rejection by the electorate after all their theatrics and grandstanding.…
— Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) February 22, 2026
He said that opposition parties often manufacture excuses after losing elections to mask their rejection by voters.
Keyamo argued that complaints about the elections were limited to a small number of polling units and could not undermine the overall process.
He said that out of 2,822 polling units in FCT, result sheets were reportedly corrected in fewer than 10 units, yet they claim the entire election was flawed. He added that even if more units were affected, the proportion was still negligible compared to the total number of units.
“Out of a total of 2,822 polling units in FCT, they display result sheets that were corrected (for whatever reason) in less than 10 units to attempt to prove that the whole election was marred by irregularities,” Keyamo stated.
The minister also accused opposition figures of using these claims to stir public unrest, stating that they attempt to create mass hysteria by alleging threats to democracy.
According to him, the only election they consider free and fair is when the ruling party loses.
“The only election that can be free and fair, in their own warped minds, is when the ruling party loses,” he wrote.
Keyamo’s remarks come as opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress, raised objections following the announcement of results in parts of the FCT.
INEC declared Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress the winner of the Bwari Area Council chairmanship election, with Returning Officer Mohammed Nurudeen reporting that Ishaku polled 18,466 votes to defeat his rivals.
Christopher Maikalangu of the APC was also returned as chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, securing 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast, according to AMAC collation officer Andrew Abue.
In Gwagwalada, however, the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious with 22,165 votes, defeating APC’s Yahaya Shehu, who polled 17,788, as announced by Returning Officer Philip Akpen.
The varied outcomes across the FCT councils have sparked continued debate, with political parties offering differing views on the fairness and implications of the elections.
