Section 299, gives FCT to the president to administer as if he is a governor-Michael Aondoakaa

The ongoing debate at the presidential election petition tribunal in Abuja centers around the requirement of securing 25 percent of the votes in the federal capital territory (FCT) for a candidate to win. It is no longer a surprising topic, considering that the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was unable to meet this threshold despite receiving the majority of votes in the general elections.

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Former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, recently shared his perspective on this matter during an exclusive interview with Arise TV. He directed Nigerians to examine other sections of the constitution for a comprehensive understanding of the provision in question. According to Aondoakaa, a thorough interpretation necessitates exploring how other sections are being interpreted.

Aondoakaa further explained that if the FCT is regarded as a state, it should receive the same treatment as a governorship election. This implies that the 25 percent requirement should apply to the FCT, aligning it with the rules governing the election of state governors.

In his words: “If you say the FCT is a state, then the issue of winning 2/3 as specified in the governorship election will arise. But I don’t think that’s the import of the Constitution. So much has been said and repeated about this I just drew the attention of other sections of the constitution that can give more light because the interpretation rules give relevance to other sections of the constitution for clarity. And I said you should read the whole documents as a whole. Section 299 appears to be more consonant with the administrative procedure which gives the federal capital the power to the president to administer as if he is a governor and the national assembly as if it is a state assembly to make law for the federal capital.”

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