Grief, defiance and calls for accountability dominated separate press briefings in Abuja on Monday as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Obidient Movement rejected the outcome of the February 21 Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship election, alleging widespread irregularities and demanding justice over the death of a polling agent.
At the centre of both addresses was the killing of Musa Abubakar, also known as Dege, an ADC polling agent at the Gwagwa unit, whose death has cast a shadow over the poll.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the ADC chairmanship candidate, Moses Paul, popularly known as Dr. Mo, announced a lifetime scholarship for Abubakar’s children, describing the gesture as a tribute to what he called the agent’s courage and sacrifice.
Fighting back emotion, Dr. Paul said Abubakar was killed while attempting to defend the integrity of votes cast at his polling unit.
“He was not just a party agent,” Dr. Paul said. “He was a father, a patriot, and a believer in democracy who chose courage over fear. No election victory is worth a human life.”
According to the candidate, he has visited the family and committed to placing the children on full scholarship to cover their education.
“It is a modest gesture, but it is a promise that his sacrifice will not leave his family abandoned,” he added, urging residents not to allow fear to silence their voices.
Dr. Paul called on security agencies to launch an immediate, transparent and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killing, stressing that accountability is critical to restoring faith in the electoral system.
“Democracy cannot thrive where impunity reigns. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done,” he declared.
ADC Rejects Results, Cites Irregularities
Beyond the tragedy, Dr. Paul firmly rejected the officially declared AMAC chairmanship results, insisting they did not reflect the will of residents.
He said his campaign enjoyed extensive grassroots support across communities such as Karshi, Wuse, Nyanya and Gui, and expressed confidence that the electorate had given him its mandate.
Among the irregularities he cited were movement restrictions through the imposition of a curfew, intimidation and alleged attacks on ADC members, massive vote buying in several wards, and voter suppression linked to the late arrival of election materials in critical polling units, including Kabusa.
He also raised concerns about reported alteration and mutilation of polling unit results, warning that such actions undermine public trust and weaken democratic institutions.
Despite the outcome, Dr. Paul described the moment as a “defining test” of democratic resolve rather than a defeat, praising youths, women, elders and volunteers who turned out to vote under challenging conditions. He reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing redress through lawful and democratic means.
Obidient Movement Backs ADC, Demands Probe
In a separate briefing, the Obidient Movement echoed similar concerns, faulting the conduct and outcome of the election.
The group said it had mobilised extensively in support of Dr. Paul, describing the ADC campaign as a unifying platform for residents seeking change in AMAC.
Addressing the press, the Movement’s National Coordinator, Tanko Yunusa, alleged widespread irregularities, voter suppression and violence.
He pointed to confusion arising from the restructuring of polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claiming many voters were unable to locate their designated centres due to inadequate information. This, the group said, contributed to low turnout and voter frustration.
The Movement also referenced the involvement of Peter Obi, whose call for supporters to participate, it said, energised segments of the electorate and slightly improved turnout compared to previous Federal Capital Territory area council elections.
Like the ADC candidate, the group highlighted the death of Musa Abubakar at Gwagwa, describing it as tragic and calling for a thorough probe to establish the facts and ensure accountability.
“This is bigger than AMAC,” the group stated. “It is about safeguarding democratic values and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.”
Both Dr. Paul and the Obidient Movement urged security agencies, civil society organisations and democratic institutions to investigate allegations of violence and misconduct associated with the poll.
Concluding his address, Dr. Paul returned to the memory of the slain agent, saying, “One life lost is one too many. But his courage must inspire us to demand better, to insist on justice, and to build a democracy where no citizen dies protecting a vote.”
A full text of a statement released by Dr. Paul last Sunday reads:
My dear people of AMAC,
Today, I stand before you not as a man diminished by an outcome, but as a man enlarged by a movement. A movement born not of convenience, but of conviction. A movement carried not by power, but by people. A movement written not in ink, but in sacrifice.
Over the past months, from the streets of Karshi to the crowded paths of Nyanya, from the markets of Wuse to the quiet resilience of Gui, from the homes of the forgotten to the voices of the hopeful, you rose. You stood. You walked. You spoke. You believed.
And for that, I bow my head in gratitude.
Let it be known, and let history record, that what we witnessed in this election was not merely a contest for office, but a declaration of dignity by a people who have refused to surrender their future.
I have reviewed the outcome as announced, and while I hold firmly, based on the engagements, the evidence of our people’s participation, and the overwhelming spirit of our movement, that we earned the sacred mandate of the people, I accept, with peace in my heart and strength in my spirit, the processes as they have been declared.
Because this movement was never built on the fragile foundation of titles. It was built on the eternal foundation of truth.
And truth does not expire with an election.
To the young men and women who stood in the sun for hours, who walked distances their feet had never known, who gave their time, their strength, their voices, you are the authors of a new chapter.
To those who came from far and near, who slept little, who gave their resources, who endured intimidation, who endured doubt, who endured hardship, your sacrifice has already altered the moral architecture of AMAC forever.
To those who gave their blood, their sweat, and their unyielding courage, you have proven that the Nigerian spirit is still alive. That it still breathes. That it still refuses to kneel.
You did not stand for me.
You stood for yourselves.
You stood for your children.
You stood for justice.
You stood for the simple but powerful belief that leadership must be earned, not imposed.
And for this, I will remain eternally grateful.
I extend my deepest appreciation to every voter who came out and performed their sacred civic duty. Your courage has reaffirmed democracy as a living promise, not a forgotten idea.
I thank the leadership and members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who stood firmly on the side of principle. Your belief in a different kind of politics has not gone unnoticed, and history will honor your courage.
I express my profound gratitude to Mr. Peter Obi, whose example of discipline, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to a better Nigeria continues to inspire millions, including myself. His life reminds us that leadership is first a moral responsibility before it becomes a political office.
To every volunteer, every supporter, every elder, every youth, every woman who carried this movement in their hearts, you have given me something far greater than victory. You have given me purpose.
My dear people, listen carefully:
No force in history has ever defeated an idea whose time has come.
What began here in AMAC will not end here. What was ignited in your hearts cannot be extinguished by any announcement or delayed by any process.
Because nations are not transformed in a single election. They are transformed by the steady, unrelenting courage of ordinary people who refuse to accept an ordinary future.
I remain committed to you. I remain accountable to you. I remain one of you.
This is not the end of our journey.
This is the beginning of a permanent awakening.
One day, and I say this with absolute certainty, a new AMAC will emerge. One day, a new Nigeria will rise. And when that day comes, history will remember that it was you, the ordinary citizens with extraordinary courage, who made it possible.
May posterity be kind to your sacrifice.
May history honor your courage.
May the future reward your faith.
And may God bless AMAC and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
With unshaken resolve,
Dr. Moses Paul ADC Candidate, AMAC Chairmanship Election Servant of the People
