FCT council election: Money played role in my losing AMAC – Dr. Paul, ADC candidate

From: Idu Jude, Abuja

Candidate of the African Democratic Party (ADC) in the just concluded FCT council polls, Dr. Moses Paul, has said that the rejection of e-transmission of results by the National Assembly during the amendment of the Electoral Act remains a setback to democracy in Nigeria.

He also alleged that money politics was prominent during the FCT election, noting that political belonging is not determined only by funding, it is determined by shared values and reform potential.

Excerpts:

You just attempted an elective position. Can you share your experience ia?

Contesting for the chairman of AMAC was both enlightening and sobering. It exposed the strength of the Nigerian people and, at the same time, the fragility of our institutions.

On the streets of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), I saw hope, young people volunteering without pay, market women contributing their widows’ mite, professionals offering strategy and structure. But I also witnessed structural weaknesses, logistical lapses, security intimidation and institutional inertia. It reaffirmed my belief that democracy in Nigeria is still a work in progress, but one worth fighting for.

There is a movement that championed the fact that only indigenes should be elected to hold political positions in the FCT. Do you share the same opinion?

No, I do not. The FCT was created as Nigeria’s symbol of unity. Abuja belongs to every Nigerian, from Sokoto to Calabar. While indigenous rights must be protected and respected, leadership in AMAC should be based on competence, vision, and service, not ancestry. We must not replace marginalisation with another form of exclusion.

Several observers rated INEC’s performance low in that exercise. Do you agree?

Yes, 100 percent because the Independent National Electoral Commission has a constitutional responsibility to be impartial. Where inconsistencies, delayed processes, or failures in transparency occur, those questions must be asked firmly and fairly.

I will insist on accountability. Electoral credibility is the foundation of democracy.

Did money actually play a role in your party losing the AMAC election?

Let us be honest,  money plays a role in Nigerian elections. Voters inducement, logistics dominance, and patronage structures distort the true will of the people.

However, despite financial disparity, they said we came second. That tells you something powerful: credibility and message still matter. If the playing field were level, the story would have been different.

We heard you were approached to step down from the ruling party but declined. Can you share the experience?

Yes, there were subtle and not-so-subtle conversations suggesting that I step down ‘for the sake of alignment.’

But leadership is not for sale. My candidacy was not a bargaining chip; it was a commitment to the people who believed in a different future for AMAC. I declined because integrity is priceless.

What contributed to your party coming second, your personality or the party?

It was a combination of both.

The African Democratic Congress provided me with a platform for reform and credibility. My personal engagement at the grassroots, door-to-door conversations, town halls, and policy articulation, built trust.

But beyond personality and party, it was the hunger of AMAC residents for accountable leadership that drove the momentum.

Is Dr. Paul remaining in politics?

Politics is not a seasonal hobby for me; it is service. Yes, I remain. Democracy requires consistency, not convenience.

We heard your party failed to finance your campaign. Do you think ADC is where you belong?

Every political party in Nigeria is evolving. Resources were limited, that is true. But political belonging is not determined only by funding; it is determined by shared values and reform potential.

If we abandon platforms because they are imperfect, we will never build institutions. Reform begins from within.

Some say you are a grassroots mobiliser for Peter Obi; others call it collaboration. What is your take?

Peter Obi represents a philosophy of prudence, accountability, and meritocracy. If standing for those values is called mobilisation, then I accept it.

But my campaign in AMAC was about local governance, sanitation, IGR transparency, primary healthcare, and market reforms. Support from like-minded leaders is collaboration for good governance, not subservience.

Where do you place ADC in the 2027 general elections?

The next election cycle will reward structure, clarity, and credibility. If ADC strengthens its grassroots base and internal democracy, it can become a formidable third force nationally.

2027 will not just be about big names; it will be about trust.

Do you believe the failed e-transmission remains a bottleneck?

Absolutely. Electronic transmission was meant to eliminate human interference. Where it fails or is inconsistently applied, suspicion grows. Nigeria must invest decisively to secure digital infrastructure and legal clarity to ensure real-time transparency.

Do you think the IGR of AMAC under the ruling party has been put to judicious use?

Absolutely not! Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) should reflect in visible community development, roads, primary healthcare centres, waste management systems, and school upgrades. If residents cannot visibly correlate revenue with service delivery, then governance has fallen short. Transparency dashboards, public audits, and citizen oversight must become standard practice in AMAC. The AMAC election was not the end; it was a beginning. We have awakened civic consciousness. The struggle for accountable local governance continues, peacefully, lawfully, and persistently.

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