The candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the 2026 Abuja Municipal Area Council election, Dr. Moses Paul Ogigi, has rejected the outcome of the poll, claiming he was in a clear lead before events allegedly took a different turn.
Ogigi, popularly known as Dr. Mo, said that by 3pm on election day, he had effectively secured victory across polling units before what he described as “magic” began to unfold.
The election was eventually declared in favour of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Ogigi expressed disappointment over the conduct of the exercise, alleging widespread irregularities.
According to him, the process was marred by the imposition of curfews, alteration of results, voter inducement, and harassment of ADC supporters at several polling units.
He stated that the just-concluded election would mark a significant moment in Nigeria’s democratic history—not because it reflected the electorate’s will, but because it highlighted persistent barriers to credible elections.
Ogigi explained that he entered the race with optimism, believing in democratic principles and the determination of Abuja residents to effect change.
He also said he had anticipated improvements in the electoral process, especially following changes in INEC’s leadership.
However, he alleged that after gaining what he considered a decisive lead by mid-afternoon, the situation suddenly shifted.
“This is why these particular elections that we just concluded will be a defining moment in the democratic journey for Nigeria.
“Not because it reflects the will of the people, but because it exposes that obstacle that hangs in the way of the will of the people.
“I came into this particular race, hoping that, believing in democracy, believing in the resilience of the will of the people in Abuja, believing that, especially with the change in the INEC leadership, so I was hoping for something new.
“By 3pm I had already won the elections across board and then magic began to happen. And this is, this is a crazy thing.
“So not only do I reject the outcome of the results, but I also…it is so disheartening to see the imposition of curfew, to see the mutilations of result, to see how members of the ADC were harassed from different polling booths.
“And I’ve never seen a heightened level of vote buying like we’ve seen in this particular election.”
