I have been reading different posts made by some so-called educated Nigerians claiming that securing 25% in the FCT is mandatory for a Presidential candidate to be declared winner and returned elected. This is quite funny and embarrassing.

After all I read online, I had to go check our constitution and electoral act again to see if those people are indeed right.

Section 134(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that you must secure (1/4th) 25% of the votes cast in two-thirds of the states and the FCT. Since the FCT isn't a state, you don't expect them to say you must secure 25% of the votes in 37 states reason they stated 36 states and the FCT.

Let's take the issue of impeachment of the Senate President for example. Two-thirds of the Senators must support the impeachment of the Senate President according to section 143 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Every state of the federation has three senators each while FCT has just one. The Senate is made up of 109 senators meaning the two-thirds plus FCT is 73.

Let's assume the title given to the senator representing FCT is "Mayor" while the remaining 108 are called Senators. For you to impeach the Senate President, the Constitution would have said "at least two-thirds of the Senators and the Mayor" must support. Does this now mean the Mayor must support before the Senate President is impeached? No. It simply means since they're not all called Senators, the Mayor must be carried along. The Mayor shouldn't be omitted. That doesn't mean the Mayor's support would be needed.

In my opinion, if there's no special status given to the senator representing FCT in the removal of the Senate President, then there's no special status given to the FCT in electing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

NLfpmod, Seun, Mynd44

Càrry your gaggon to joke session

Law is not logic!! It is simply based on what is contained in the constitution

Tinubu did not get 25% in FCT period!

Ignore the children of frustration. The constitution is clear enough

25% of the states and Abuja.

And , is a conjunction here which means, Abuja is also giving the status of a state.

All you need is to win 25%

Section 137 of Nigeria constitution is clear enough

It is like saying if you win all the Local Govts in Anambra in a Govship election but you fail to win Awka, the state capital, you can not be declared winner.

Jostoman:
Càrry your gaggon to joke session

What's gaggon? Illiterates are not needed here please.

AbdulMagaji:
Tinubu did not get 25% in FCT period!

So you have to win Washington DC before you become President of America?

Abi you did not know we copy our constitution and our democratic setting from US?

Or you have to win Asaba before you become Gov of Delta state?

Too many lazy youth when the constitution is very clear

pandora Obidient will be shocked to his bone marrow when his kindergarten case thrown out like piece of gabage he is

Afamed:
Ignore the children of frustration. The constitution is clear enough

25% of the states and Abuja.

And , is a conjunction here which means, Abuja is also giving the status of a state.

All you need is to win 25%

Section 137 of Nigeria constitution is clear enough

It is like saying if you win all the Local Govts in Anambra in a Govship election but you fail to win Awka, the state capital, you can not be declared winner.

That's just it man. If you're able to secure 25% in 25 states (including the FCT), you're covered. Wherever you get the 25% is immaterial.

At last paragraph, that's the same question I asked my bro. yesterday. In a state that has 13 local govt areas, you only need 25% in 9 LGA's. Getting 25% in the state capital (which is also a local govt on its own) doesn't matter. Why should 25% in FCT then matter?

Afamed:



So you have to win Washington DC before you become President of America?

Abi you did not know we copy our constitution and our democratic setting from US?

Or you have to win Asaba before you become Gov of Delta state?

Too many lazy youth when the constitution is very clear

The use of "and" is your problem

donphilopus:


NLfpmod, Seun, Mynd44

This is so silly it’s funny

You gave a great example but somehow went to the wrong conclusion.

Let us try another example. Let’s say “You must pass 2/3rd of your projects and your exam to pass a course”. Does that mean you can fail the exam and still pass?

The truth is that the English written in that section can certainly be interpreted both ways. I believe most English scholars will interpret it to mean that you need 25% in FCT but our courts will decide based on the constitution as a whole and precedence.

I actually think that those that believe 25% is not required in FCT have just one great argument but I rarely see anyone mention it

I have no interest in helping APC and its supporters so I won’t mention it either lol. Go and rig the courts too since we know you’re very capable ❤️

Afamed:



So you have to win Washington DC before you become President of America?

Abi you did not know we copy our constitution and our democratic setting from US?

Or you have to win Asaba before you become Gov of Delta state?

Too many lazy youth when the constitution is very clear

Do we operate the same constitution with the US? You people think law is logic? As long as it is contained in our constitution,it is law.We can go ahead to review it later.

old man with no sense

donphilopus:


They're just daydreaming if they think Obi has any mandate that he would reclaim.

Mynd44, NLfpmod, Seun

They believed they were going to win d elections and blamed INEC at the end, they will soon blame CJN

JagabanBorgu:

They believed they were going to win d elections and blamed INEC at the end, they will soon blame CJN

They wouldn't end there. They would end up blaming the UK, US, UN, FIFA, NFF, NBA and even COVID-19. 😂

donphilopus:


They wouldn't end there. They would end up blaming the UK, US, UN, FIFA, NFF, NBA and even COVID-19. 😂

LOL.
They have started making up stories against CJN already.

Tinubu couldn’t get 25% in Abuja because there are no hoodlums and thugs to hijack ballot for him

JagabanBorgu:

LOL.
They have started making up stories against CJN already.

They're sore losers.

ovieigho:
Tinubu couldn’t get 25% in Abuja because there are no hoodlums and thugs to hijack ballot for him

Is that what we are discussing here?

donphilopus:


NLfpmod, Seun, Mynd44

The constitution said: he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Could you clarify what "each of" means

donphilopus:


Is that what we are discussing here?

And so ??

Chuksaluta:


The constitution said: he has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

Could you clarify what "each of" means

Does the "each of" invalidate what I wrote?

AbdulMagaji:
Tinubu did not get 25% in FCT period!

And that doesn't invalidate his return as president elect, ok!

GET 2/3 OF ABUJA SENATOR.

gawu1:

And that doesn't invalidate his return as president elect, ok!

Those guys are just so funny. Sore losers.

Drop the section of the const that talks about the SP impeachment

Exactly the way it is written in the constitution

TINUBU URCHIS CAN NOT INTERPRET SIMPLE LAW. THEY FORGET TO RIG IN ABUJA. THERE IS HOPE OBI IS COMING

donphilopus:


Those guys are just so funny. Sore losers.

So funny

You have to first of all ask why FCT has one senator instead of three.