A Senior Advicate if Nigeria, Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, has said that the conduct of Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, and its outcome, signalled the death of democracy in Nigeria.
Speaking in a commentary shared on his X handle, Okutepa said that the massive denial of the peoples will and freedom to elect their leaders, leaves a sour taste of what to expect in 2027 general elections.
He stated that the suppression of the peoples will, the snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes as well as declaration and upholding of results that did not emanate from the votes of the people, are clear indications that democracy is headed for the rocks in Nigeria.
Read him: “The outcome of FCT Council elections showed that Nigerians will and votes do not matter and Nigerians do not determine who govern them. 2027 elections will be more terrible and brazen than what happened in FCT on Saturday February 21st 2026. First democracy is not a function of show of force. It is not a process rooted in arrogance of exhibition of naked force. The declarations of work free day on Friday February 20th 2026 by FCT minister was the prelude for the rigging that took place on Saturday 21st February, 2026. To call what happened on Saturday 21st February 2026 election is completely an abuse of language. 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.
“Nigerian democracy is in danger. It is currently on life support and those in power have decided to sabotage the growth of democracy in Nigeria. INEC staff were equally not alive to their responsibility in some cases. The mutilation of election results and arbitrary additions of votes as seen on forms EC8As on social media points to the points that I am making. Those who engage in this democratic imposition have committed treason against the people and against Nigerian constitution.
“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, tumb 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.
“Rather than commending what happened in FCT on Saturday and called it election we should have the boldness and courage to call it what it is. It was treason against democracy. It was treason against the constitution. It was treason against the people of Nigeria. It was a clear case of democratic thuggery and thuggish imposition and not election rooted within the meaning of acceptable democratic principles. It was a show of force in sabotage of democracy.
“Nobody show beat his chest to have done well. The second point is that the Nigerian opposition is weak and they have allowed themselves to be captured by those they once hobnobbed together. Internal wrangling among political gladiators in the opposition has greatly diminished the legitimacy of the oppositions. The oppositions are not united to wrestle power from those abusing it. Opposition is in disarray.
“Thirdly there is no political education. Politicians across divide are not ready for political education. Nobody is investing in political education that improves development of democracy. Rather political leaders have heavily impoverished the people that poverty has now become the most potent political tool for undemocratic imposition of leadership. If not what does it profit those who allowed themselves to be used to add results that were not products of legitimate votes.
“For democracy to thrive in Nigeria we must reject manual collation of votes. We must demand and insist that any votes that has mutilations, cancellations, alterations and subtractions should not count and must not be counted. It means that INEC leadership must have the liver and courage of convictions to cancel results that have alterations, cancellations, mutilations and such other interlineations on the face of electoral-forms. At this age of technology it is even a shame for us to be using forms to conduct elections. Nigerians must demand for true democracy. What happened on Saturday 21st February 2026 in FCT was not election. It was a predetermined selection by those who have no democratic credentials.”
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