By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on their victories in Saturday’s area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and legislative by-elections in Rivers and Kano states, praising the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, for his role in the party’s success.

The elections, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), involved chairmanship and councillorship contests across the FCT’s six area councils—Abaji, Abuja Municipal (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. Concurrent by-elections were also held for the Kano Municipal and Ungogo constituencies in Kano State, and the Ahoada East II and Khana II constituencies in Rivers State.

According to results declared by INEC, the APC secured chairmanship victories in four of the six FCT councils: Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed victory in Gwagwalada. In the Rivers State by-elections, the APC won both contested seats.

In a statement on Sunday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, quoted Tinubu as urging the winners to view their mandate as “a sacred trust” and to serve with humility, patriotism, and dedication.

The President specifically commended Wike, a key opposition figure who defected to the APC to serve in the cabinet, for his “remarkable achievements in the territory, which have yielded political dividends to the governing APC.” Tinubu also congratulated the APC national and state leaderships on the victories.

Tinubu further lauded INEC, security agencies, and voters for the “peaceful and successful conduct of the elections,” describing the process as one that strengthens democratic culture and institutions.

However, the post-election period was not without contention. Reports indicated a low voter turnout across the FCT, and opposition parties alleged widespread irregularities.

In a swift response, the PDP inaugurated a special legal team to handle election petitions arising from the FCT Area Council polls. While congratulating its victorious candidates, including Gwagwalada Chairman-elect Mohammed Kasim, the party claimed the elections were marred by “unprecedented intimidation, high-powered money politics, and brazen executive brigandage.”

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, alleged that video evidence exists showing security forces interfering with the process. “Armed security personnel were used to cart away result sheets in polling units, intimidate voters, and unduly influence the outcome of the elections,” he claimed.

The party warned that the conduct of the polls and the low turnout could be a “foreshadowing” of the 2027 general elections if urgent corrective measures are not taken by the National Assembly and the President. The newly inaugurated legal team, headed by National Legal Adviser Shafi Bara’u, Esq., will manage all complaints and litigations arising from the election.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has secured a dominant victory in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, winning five out of the six chairmanship seats up for grabs.

Results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show the APC victorious in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Kwali, Kuje, and Abaji Area Councils. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed the sole remaining seat, winning in Gwagwalada Area Council.

In AMAC, the incumbent chairman and APC candidate, Christopher Maikalangu, secured re-election with a decisive 40,295 votes. His closest rival, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), polled 12,109 votes, while the PDP candidate trailed with 3,398 votes.

The APC also triumphed in Bwari, where Joshua Ishaku clinched the chairmanship with 18,466 votes. The ADC candidate came second with 4,254 votes, followed by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate with 3,515 votes.

In Kwali, the ruling party’s candidate, Daniel Nuhu, defeated the PDP’s Haruna Pai, scoring 17,032 votes against Pai’s 8,575 votes.

Similarly, in Abaji, APC’s Abubakar secured a commanding win with 15,536 votes, far outpacing his PDP rival, who garnered 4,547 votes. The ADC candidate finished a distant third with just 37 votes.

The Kuje contest was the closest of the APC victories. The party’s candidate, Hon. Samuel, narrowly defeated the PDP challenger, polling 3,808 votes against the PDP’s 3,699 votes. The ADC candidate trailed with 152 votes.

Amidst the APC sweep, the Peoples Democratic Party secured a significant win in Gwagwalada Area Council. Its candidate, Mohammed Kasim, emerged victorious with 22,165 votes, defeating his closest rival, Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) finished a distant third with 432 votes. It was followed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which secured 1,687 votes, and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with 1,366 votes. Several other parties trailed, including the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) with 175 votes, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) with 158 votes, and the Action Democratic Party (ADP) with 128 votes. The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) recorded the lowest tally with just 24 votes.

INEC Returning Officer for Gwagwalada, Philip Akpen, who declared Mr. Kasim the winner, described the election in the council as peaceful and orderly, noting that voting and collation proceeded without major disruptions.

The Gwagwalada chairmanship election recorded 207,577 registered voters, with 46,294 accredited to vote. A total of 43,960 votes were declared valid, while 1,521 ballots were rejected.

The FCT elections were closely watched, reflecting the heightened political competition between the APC and the PDP. Smaller parties struggled to make significant inroads in most councils, with the ADC performing as the primary opposition in several areas but failing to secure any chairmanship seat.

INEC is expected to conclude collation and announce the final results for any outstanding positions as the process is completed across all six Area Councils.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a special legal team to handle petitions challenging the outcome of the February 21, 2026, Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The move comes as the party formally congratulated its candidates who emerged victorious in the chairmanship and councillorship polls, even as it raised serious concerns over the conduct of the elections.

The elections, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday, February 21, covered all six area councils of the FCT: Abaji, Abuja Municipal (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali.

According to results declared by INEC, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) secured wins in Abaji, Kwali, AMAC, and Bwari. The PDP managed to win only the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship seat.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, acknowledged the electoral outcome, describing the limited victories as significant given the circumstances under which the elections were held.

“We specifically congratulate the Chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kasim, and the councillors who have been declared successful by INEC,” Ememobong said.

“This victory, though less in number than we anticipated, is particularly gladdening because it is against the background of unprecedented intimidation, high-powered money politics, and brazen executive brigandage,” he added.

The PDP alleged widespread irregularities, claiming there were instances of voter intimidation and unlawful conduct aimed at influencing results.

“Reports and video evidence abound where armed security personnel were used to cart away result sheets in polling units, intimidate voters, and unduly influence the outcome of the elections,” the statement read.

In response to these grievances and to manage expected litigations, the party has set up a legal team headed by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, Esq. The party urged candidates with complaints to contact the Legal Adviser without delay, warning that any postponement could hinder their chances in petition tribunals.

The PDP also linked the low voter turnout observed during the polls to what it called the “anti-people Electoral Act 2026,” asserting that citizens have lost confidence in electoral outcomes conducted under the current legal framework.

“These Local Council polls may just be a foreshadowing of the forthcoming general elections in 2027 if changes are not urgently made,” the party warned.

It called on the National Assembly and the President to take immediate corrective measures to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.