KEY POINTS

• APC wins five of six FCT Area Councils.
• PDP secures Gwagwalada in competitive race.
• FCT Area Councils outcome signals APC strength in Abuja.

The All Progressives Congress secured chairmanship victories in five of the six Area Councils in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory over the weekend, reinforcing its dominance in the nation’s capital, while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party claimed Gwagwalada.

APC National Chairman Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda described the outcome as a signal of public backing for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, branding the results an affirmation of the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

“The Abuja election, in particular, is a powerful statement by Nigerians from all walks of life that they stand firmly with President Tinubu and his bold reform agenda,” Yilwatda said in a statement issued Sunday by his media adviser, Abimbola Tooki.

APC Sweeps FCT Area Councils

APC candidates won chairmanship seats in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Kuje, Abaji, Bwari and Kwali. The PDP retained Gwagwalada, preventing a clean sweep by the ruling party.

In Kuje, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared APC’s Danjuma Samuel Shekolo winner with 17,269 votes, ahead of PDP’s Danlami Zakoyi, who polled 15,824 votes. Other parties recorded smaller tallies, including the African Democratic Congress with 7,016 votes and the All Progressives Grand Alliance with 4,305.

Shekolo credited voters and pledged to prioritize service delivery and accountability. Yilwatda said the victories reflected grassroots organization and party cohesion, adding that security agencies and election officials conducted the polls professionally.

FCT Area Councils Show Competitive Race

The PDP’s win in Gwagwalada underscored the competitive nature of local politics in the capital, even as the APC consolidated its position across most councils.

The APC also praised the wins of four State House of Assembly candidates in Kano and Rivers states, saying that voters trusted its leadership.

Because the capital has a varied population, local council elections in the FCT are frequently a good way to gauge how people feel about politics in cities. The APC’s success gives it a stronger position in the area before bigger political elections.