Politics
Council Boss Hails Umahi’s Re-Election
Dr Eni-Uduma Chima, Chairman of Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi has described the re-election of Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi as a testimony of his outstanding performance.
Chima made this known at a news conference in Abakaliki on Tuesday.
The council boss said that the landslide victory of Umahi, the Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Saturday’s election, was a verdict passed by the people.
He congratulated the electorate of Ebonyi for supporting the re-election of the governor, saying that the action was a demonstration of appreciation of what the governor had done in the state during his first term in office.
“The overwhelming votes received by the governor in the election was a demonstration of the people’s love, admiration and appreciation of his laudable achievements in the areas of infrastructure development, human empowerment and agricultural development.
“The performances of the governor in all sectors made the victory swift and total.
“This victory is for continuity of good governance, more infrastructure development and delivery of more democracy dividends to the people,’’ Chima said.
He called on losers in the governorship election to team up with the governor-elect to fast-track development of the state during the second term of the incoming administration.
“In every contest, there must a winner and there must be loser. Losers must be kind enough to accept defeat while winners must be magnanimous in victory.
“The governor has displayed this unique quality of a good leadership by extending hands of fellowship to those that lost in the contest.
“He urged them to place the interest of the state above personal and party considerations and to join hands to develop Ebonyi.
“The governor is open-minded, liberal and will easily bring in opposition politicians who are willing and have something to offer for advancement of good governance in the state.
“The governor will not neglect them on the basis that they are not of the same political party. In fact, toward the end of the electioneering campaign, most opposition candidates from different political parties joined the PDP to support the second term bid.
“Bringing oppositions into the administration will not be out of place; after all they are Ebonyi people before belonging to the political parties,’’ he said.
Chima assured the people that the governor would not abandon infrastructure development projects started in his first tenure.
He said that the governor was bound by his words to complete all projects embarked upon by his government.
“The flyover project at Abomege in Onitcha Local Government Area is a promise made in November 27, 2018, and work has since commenced in the site, moving steadily and speedily.
“For a governor who is running a campaign to have found time to commence fresh project of such gigantic nature shows that he is committed to work.
“Most of the projects are ongoing and will be rounded off because it will be unwise not to complete them.
“The governor is not afraid of embarking on projects that will positively touch on the lives of the people and he is committed to realising the Ebonyi Airport project which is a `pet’ project for him,’’ Chima said.
The council boss said that arguments that workers in the state were being under-paid in terms of salary, were not based on verifiable facts.
He said that workers would continue to enjoy regular monthly salary payments in the second term of the governor.
“Ebonyi workers receive their monthly salaries regularly and the government even pays better than most states including those in the oil-rich Niger Delta states and government is not owing salaries, despite the lean monthly allocation accruing to the state.
Alhaji Mohammed Kasim, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Philip Akpeni, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results on Sunday morning.
Alhaji Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat Alhaji Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 17,788 votes.
Alhaji Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 1, 687 to come in third place.
“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026,” Akpeni said.
“That Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the chairmanship poll with 40,295 votes.
Andrew Abue, the Collation Officer for AMAC, said Hon. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent AMAC chairman, was returned elected having scored the highest number of votes cast.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.
According to Abue, the total number of valid votes in the chairmanship poll was 62,861, while the total votes cast stood at 65,197.
He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship election.
Announcing the result on Sunday in Bwari, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Mohammed Nurudeen, stated that Ishaku polled a total of 18,466 votes to emerge victorious in the February 21, 2026 poll.
“I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.
According to the results declared, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 4,254 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 3,515 votes to place second and third respectively.
The declaration adds to the series of results emerging from the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, as political parties assess their performance ahead of future contests.
INEC UPLOADS 2,602 OF 2,822 FCT CHAIRMANSHIP RESULTS ON IReV
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 2,602 out of the 2,822 expected polling unit results from Saturday’s chairmanship elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at 5:55am on Sunday, data retrieved from its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed.
According to The Tide source, the figure represents an overall upload rate of about 92.2 per cent across the six area councils of the territory.
A council-by-council breakdown indicates that Municipal Area Council recorded the highest number of submissions in absolute terms, with 1,309 of 1,401 polling unit results uploaded, representing 93.43 per cent.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, 330 of the expected 338 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 97.63 per cent — the highest upload rate among the six councils.
In Bwari Area Council, INEC uploaded 463 of 485 polling unit results, translating to 95.46 per cent.
In Abaji Area Council, 129 of 135 polling unit results had been uploaded as at 5:55am, representing 95.56 per cent.
In Kwali Area Council, 164 of the expected 201 polling unit results were available on the portal, representing 81.59 per cent.
In Kuje Area Council, 207 of 262 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 79.01 per cent — the lowest rate among the six councils as at the time of review.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, the group described the swift assent as a clear demonstration of political will to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“We see the decision by President Bola Tinubu to sign the reworked 2022 Electoral Act into law within a few hours of its passage as a demonstration of political will to ensure an improved electoral process which the new law envisages,” the group said.
The TMSG expressed confidence that the development would enable the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to quickly align its operations with the new provisions in preparation for the 2027 polls.
The group noted that the provision for electronic transmission of results had been contentious but described its codification in the law as a significant step forward.
“So, for the first time, the country’s electoral law would be recognising the use of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the result viewing portal, IREV, which were just INEC guidelines in 2023,” it stated.
According to the TMSG, although the Act provides for electronic transmission of results from polling units to the IREV portal, it also makes room for manual transmission of Form EC8A result sheets as a backup in the event of technological failure.
“Unlike some Nigerians, we do not see anything wrong with the fallback plan but we agree with the President that no matter how beautiful a process is with improved technology, the onus lies on the people manning it to show good faith and ensure that the votes of the people really count at the end of the day,” the statement added.
The group highlighted other key provisions in the amended law, including the streamlining of party primaries to either consensus or direct primaries, early release of funds to INEC, reinforced measures against over-voting, and stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as falsification of results.
It also pointed out that the mandatory notice period for elections has been reduced from 360 days to 300 days, giving INEC more flexibility in adjusting the timetable for the 2027 elections, especially where it may clash with Ramadan.
The TMSG further observed that the President’s decision to sign the bill days before the forthcoming Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) underscores his desire for the law to take immediate effect.
“And by signing the amendment bill a few days before the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is obvious that the President is keen on ensuring that the 2026 Electoral Act takes immediate effect.
“Nigerians would also have an opportunity to see some of the key provisions of the new electoral law become operational, especially the electronic transmission of results,” it said.
The group expressed optimism that the current INEC leadership would leverage the new legal framework to deliver a more credible and widely acceptable electioneering process than in previous electoral cycles.
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