2023 Presidential Election: 25% votes in FCT mandatory — Ex-INEC REC

Former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, in a now-viral video was quoted saying Nigeria’s Constitution mandated a candidate to score 25 percent of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before being declared winner in presidential poll.

Recall many Nigerians had interpreted the relevant section of the constitution, which has portrayed different meanings that a presidential candidate must win FCT.

This follows INEC’s declaration of Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the winner of the February 25 poll despite failing to secure 25% votes in the FCT.

But, in a video clip obtained by this online medium, the former INEC REC during an interview with Arise Television, a few hours to the February 25 presidential poll, said it is a “compulsory question” for a candidate to have 25% votes in the FCT before being declared President-elect.

His words;

“Provision of Section 134 (2b) of (Nigeria’s) Constitution states: “No presidential candidate can be declared a winner in this election without having 25% in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). That is very important for the world to know whenever (election results) may be finally declared.