Itse Sagay, a law professor, has clarified that a presidential candidate does not have to receive 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja to be declared the winner.
Sagay provided the explanation amid the confusion caused by a reported clause in the constitution that some have interpreted to mean that a presidential candidate must receive 25% of the votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in order to be declared the winner.
The senior lawyer explained that if the candidate receives 25% of the vote in 25 states, he can be declared the winner even if Abuja is not inclusive.
He said in response to an inquiry by The Nation on the subject matter:
The constitutional provision does not mean that a candidate that does not score 25 percent in Abuja cannot be declared the winner.
As long as you score in one-quarter of the votes in at least 25 states, and for these purposes, FCT is treated as a state, you can be declared a winner.