The Peoples Democratic Party said it has setup a special legal team to challenge outcome of the Saturday’s election across the Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory.
As announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, candidates of the All Progressives Congress said to have clinched five of the six chairmanship positions in the council polls.
The ruling party has secured victories in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje, while the PDP won the chairmanship seat in Gwagwalada.
The election, held to fill six chairmanship and 62 councillorship positions, witnessed low voter turnout and allegations of vote-buying.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the party congratulated its successful candidates but pointed to irregularities.
It stated that the legal team would be led by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, Esq., and advised aggrieved candidates to take immediate steps.
“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.
“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,” the statement read.
Ememobong also alleged misconduct during the election.
“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.”
The statement added, “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 results released by INEC officials, Christopher Maikalangu of the APC was declared winner in the Abuja Municipal Area Council after polling 40,295 votes out of 62,861 valid votes cast.
The Returning Officer for AMAC, Andrew Abue, declared, “That Maikalangu of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
The African Democratic Congress finished second with 12,109 votes, while the PDP garnered 3,398 votes.
Total votes cast stood at 65,197, with 2,336 rejected votes. AMAC had 837,338 registered voters and 65,676 accredited voters.
In Bwari Area Council, Joshua Ishaku of the APC won with 18,466 votes.
Announcing the outcome, the Returning Officer, Mohammed Nurudeen, said, “That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
The ADC secured 4,254 votes to place second, while the Zenith Labour Party polled 3,515 votes to finish third. Voting took place across the council’s 10 wards.
In Abaji Area Council, Umar Abubakar of the APC polled 15,535 votes to defeat his closest rival from the Young Progressives Party, who secured 5,357 votes.
The PDP candidate finished third with 4,547 votes. Declaring the result, INEC Returning Officer Muhammad Usman said, “Umar Abdullahi Abubakar of APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Similarly, in Kwali Area Council, APC candidate Nuhu Daniel recorded 17,032 votes to beat Haruna Pai of the PDP, who polled 8,575 votes.
The APC also won the Kuje Area Council chairmanship seat, with its candidate, Danjuma Shekwolo, emerging victorious. Shekwolo scored 17,269 votes, according to official figures.
Declaring the result, Returning Officer, Prof Nkiruka Odoh of the University of Abuja, said, “Shekwolo, having secured the highest number of votes and met all legal requirements, is duly elected and returned as Chairman of Kuje Area Council.”
Trailing closely, PDP candidate Zakwoyi Danlami polled 15,824 votes, while Abdullahi Galadima of the All Progressives Grand Alliance secured 4,305 votes.
The PDP’s only win came in Gwagwalada Area Council, where Mohammed Kasim scored 22,165 votes to defeat Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes.
Announcing the result, the Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, said, “That Mohammed Kasim of the PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance placed third with 1,687 votes. Gwagwalada had 207,577 registered voters and 46,294 accredited voters, with 43,960 valid votes and 1,521 rejected votes.