PDP drags APC to court over FCT election

The Peoples Democratic Party has inaugurated a special legal team to challenge the outcome of Saturdays Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, following the declaration of results by the Independent National Electoral Commission.INEC announced that candidates of the All Progressives Congress won five of the six chairmanship seats, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the PDP secured victory only in Gwagwalada.In a statement, the PDPs National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, congratulated the partys winning candidates but alleged widespread irregularities and intimidation during the polls. He disclosed that the partys legal team would be led by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Barau, Esq.We specifically congratulate the chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mohammed Kasim, and the councillors who have been declared successful by the Independent National Electoral Commission, the statement read.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.Ememobong alleged that security agencies were used to influence the outcome of the elections, saying, Reports and video evidence abound where armed security personnel were used to cart away result sheets at polling units, intimidate voters and unduly influence the outcome of the elections.He also linked the low turnout to public dissatisfaction with the electoral framework, stating, The incredible voter apathy in these polls is a direct response to the anti-people Electoral Act 2026, where the people have completely lost faith in electoral outcomes conducted under this Act. These local council polls may just be a foreshadowing of the forthcoming general elections in 2027 if changes are not urgently made.According to INEC, Christopher Maikalangu of the APC was returned elected in AMAC with 40,295 votes. Declaring the result, Returning Officer Andrew Abue said, That Maikalangu of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.Similar declarations were made across other councils, including Bwari, Abaji, Kwali and Kuje, where APC candidates were pronounced winners after meeting legal requirements. The PDPs lone chairmanship win came in Gwagwalada, where Mohammed Kasim polled 22,165 votes. Returning Officer Philip Akpen declared, That Mohammed Kasim of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.INEC later disclosed that over 239,000 voters participated in the elections, representing about 15 per cent of the 1,680,315 registered voters in the FCT. Addressing claims of voter migration, the commission stated, Contrary to the claim in some quarters that some voters were migrated to another/new polling units different from their original polling units, the commission wishes to state categorically that voters were not migrated.It explained that the creation of split polling units was to reduce congestion and that notifications were sent to affected voters. The commission added that 93 per cent of polling unit results had been uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal as of Sunday afternoon.Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it arrested 20 suspects for alleged electoral offences, including vote buying and obstruction of officers. In a statement, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale said, Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday, February 21, 2026, arrested 20 suspects for sundry electoral offences in the just-concluded Federal Capital Territory, FCT, local government elections.He added that one suspect was arrested with N13.5 million in a car parked near a polling booth in Kwali and that a total of N17,218,700 was involved. The suspects will be charged in court upon conclusion of investigations, the statement said.President Bola Tinubu congratulated the winners and described the mandate as a sacred trust. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President commended INEC and security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the polls and urged the winners to serve with humility and dedication.APC National Chairman Prof Nentawe Yilwatda described the results as a resounding endorsement of the ongoing reforms and governance direction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said, 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.FCT Minister Nyesom Wike also praised the conduct of the election, stating in a broadcast, The peaceful conduct of the election is a testament to the commitment of the people of the FCT to democracy and good governance. He added that the outcome showed Nigerians now know the ruling party and the real opposition party, and urged the winners to serve with humility, dedication, and commitment to excellence.Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, however, warned of a shrinking democratic space. In a statement, he described the turnout, averaging below 20 per cent, as a damning verdict on the health of Nigerias democracy under the current administration.He said, It is the predictable outcome of a political environment poisoned by intolerance, intimidation, and the systematic weakening of opposition voices, and called for opposition parties to unite, adding, This is no longer about party lines; it is about preserving the Republic. The time to stand together to rescue and rebuild Nigeria is now.PDP chieftain Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim described the outcome as evidence of a political resurgence for the party, saying, The PDP is not declining. The PDP is rebuilding. And this is only the beginning.The post PDP drags APC to court over FCT election appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.