The All Progressives Congress (APC) reaffirmed its dominance in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) local government elections, winning five of the six area council chairmanship positions, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took Gwagwalada. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) failed to secure any seats, including in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
The newly elected chairmen are:
- Bwari: Joshua Ishaku (APC) – 18,466 votes
- AMAC: Chris Garki (APC)
- Gwagwalada: Kasim Mohammed (PDP)
- Kuje: Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo (APC)
- Kwali: Nuhu Daniel Kwali (APC)
- Abaji: Abdullahi Umar Abubakar (APC)
ADC’s Struggles in AMAC
Speaking on Arise News, Director of News and Political Editor Sumner Sambo highlighted key factors behind ADC’s defeat in AMAC. He noted that the party’s chairmanship and vice chairmanship candidates were not indigenous to the FCT, which may have affected voter support.
Sambo also pointed to religious considerations, saying, “It was more of like a Christian, Christian ticket. And so that may, in one way or the other, have angered people to have voted the way they did in their voting pattern.”
He added that the ADC struggled to campaign in many of AMAC’s 49 villages, limiting outreach in this cosmopolitan area that includes Nigeria’s administrative headquarters.
Voting Patterns and Historical Trends
Sambo contextualized the results within broader electoral patterns in the FCT. He noted that the electorate has historically swung between parties in presidential and National Assembly elections, citing Goodluck Jonathan’s wins in 2011 and 2015, Buhari’s loss in 2019, and the Labour Party’s breakthrough in 2023.
“These voters in the FCT decided to go with the Labour Party, just like they did in the presidential election… The same thing for the House of Representatives seat. And these two people are non-indigenous persons,” he said.
