The Peoples Democratic Party has inaugurated a special legal team to challenge the outcome of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, following the victory of the All Progressives Congress in five out of six chairmanship seats.
The FCT poll court challenge comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission declared APC candidates winners in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the PDP secured only Gwagwalada.
PDP Alleges Irregularities
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party congratulated its lone winning chairmanship candidate in Gwagwalada but alleged widespread irregularities during the elections.
The PDP said its legal team would be led by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, and urged aggrieved candidates to promptly pursue redress in court.
According to the party, the elections were marred by intimidation, vote buying and alleged interference by security operatives. It further described the low voter turnout as a reflection of declining public trust in the electoral system.
APC Dominates Five Councils
Official results released by INEC showed that Christopher Maikalangu of the APC won the AMAC chairmanship with 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast.
In Bwari, Joshua Ishaku of the APC secured 18,466 votes to emerge victorious. Similarly, Umar Abubakar won Abaji with 15,535 votes, while Nuhu Daniel clinched Kwali with 17,032 votes.
In Kuje, APC candidate Danjuma Shekwolo polled 17,269 votes to defeat his closest PDP rival.
The PDP’s sole victory came in Gwagwalada, where Mohammed Kasim secured 22,165 votes to defeat the APC candidate.
INEC Denies Voter Migration Claims
INEC reported that over 239,000 voters participated in the FCT elections, representing approximately 15 per cent of the 1.68 million registered voters.
The commission denied allegations that voters were migrated to unfamiliar polling units. It clarified that split polling units were created only in areas with more than 1,250 registered voters to reduce congestion.
According to INEC, these split units were located within the same premises as the original polling units, and affected voters were notified through text messages and emails ahead of the election.
EFCC Arrests 20 Over Electoral Offences
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission confirmed the arrest of 20 suspects across various area councils for alleged electoral offences, including vote buying and obstruction.
One suspect was reportedly apprehended with N13.5 million in a vehicle near a polling unit in Kwali. The commission stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be charged accordingly.
Reactions From Political Leaders
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulated winners of the FCT elections and commended residents, security agencies and INEC for what he described as a peaceful exercise.
The President urged elected officials to treat their mandate as a sacred trust and serve with humility.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike also praised the peaceful conduct of the polls, describing the outcome as evidence of democratic maturity in the capital.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar raised concerns over what he termed shrinking democratic space, citing the low turnout as a warning sign for Nigeria’s democracy.
Political Implications
The FCT poll court challenge signals heightened political tension ahead of the 2027 general elections. While the APC views the outcome as endorsement of its reform agenda, the PDP insists the results do not reflect the true will of the people.
With legal proceedings expected to begin soon, attention now shifts to the courts, where the legitimacy of the FCT Area Council elections will be tested.
