The Peoples Democratic Party has inaugurated a special legal team to challenge the outcome of Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, following the All Progressives Congress’ victory in five of the six chairmanship seats.
Results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission showed that the APC secured victories in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the PDP clinched the chairmanship seat in Gwagwalada.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the PDP alleged widespread irregularities, including intimidation and vote-buying.
The party said its legal team, headed by National Legal Adviser Shafi Bara’u, Esq., would contest results it considers flawed.
The PDP congratulated its Gwagwalada chairman-elect, Mohammed Kasim, describing the victory as significant despite what it called “high-powered money politics and brazen executive brigandage.”
The party further alleged that security operatives interfered with the electoral process in some polling units.
According to INEC’s official results, Christopher Maikalangu of the APC won in AMAC with 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes.
In Bwari, APC’s Joshua Ishaku polled 18,466 votes to emerge victorious, while Umar Abubakar secured Abaji with 15,535 votes.
In Kwali, Nuhu Daniel of the APC defeated PDP’s Haruna Pai with 17,032 votes, and in Kuje, APC candidate Danjuma Shekwolo won with 17,269 votes.
The PDP’s sole victory came in Gwagwalada, where Mohammed Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat APC’s Yahaya Shehu, who scored 17,788 votes.
INEC said over 239,000 voters participated in the polls, representing about 15 per cent of the 1.68 million registered voters in the FCT.
The commission denied claims that voters were migrated to new polling units, explaining that it merely created split polling units in densely populated areas to ease congestion.
The electoral body noted that 93 per cent of polling unit results had been uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal as of Sunday afternoon.
While acknowledging voter apathy, INEC said turnout improved compared to the 2022 council elections.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested 20 suspects across the FCT for alleged electoral offences, including vote-buying and obstruction of officials.
The anti-graft agency said it recovered a total of N17.2m, including N13.5m found in a vehicle parked near a polling booth in Kwali.
The suspects are expected to be charged after investigations.
President Bola Tinubu congratulated the winners, describing their mandates as a sacred trust.
He commended INEC and security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the polls and urged elected officials to serve with humility and dedication.
Similarly, APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda described the outcome as an endorsement of the administration’s reform agenda, while FCT Minister Nyesom Wike said the results clarified Nigeria’s political landscape, asserting that the election demonstrated residents’ support for the ruling party.
However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warned of a shrinking democratic space, citing low voter turnout as evidence of declining public confidence.
He called on opposition parties to unite in defence of democracy.
Also reacting, PDP chieftain Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim described the Gwagwalada victory and councillorship gains as signs of the party’s resurgence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
