The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged dominant in the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, winning five of the six chairmanship seats contested across the territory.
Results announced on Sunday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showed the APC clinched victories in Abuja Municipal, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje Area Councils, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secured the lone remaining seat in Gwagwalada.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, PDP candidate Mohammed Kasim defeated his APC rival, Yahaya Shehu, polling 22,165 votes against 17,788.
Declaring the result, Returning Officer Philip Akpen said Kasim, “having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”
A breakdown of the votes showed:
PDP – 22,165
APC – 17,788
APGA – 1,687
ADC – 1,366
In Bwari Area Council, APC candidate Joshua Ishaku secured 18,466 votes to win the chairmanship seat. Mohammed Nurudeen, the Returning Officer, declared him duly elected after meeting all legal requirements.
INEC figures indicated:
APC – 18,466
ADC – 4,254
ZLP – 3,515
At the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), incumbent chairman Christopher Maikalangu of the APC was re-elected with a commanding 40,295 votes. His closest challenger, the ADC candidate, polled 12,109 votes, while the PDP candidate secured 3,398.
Full AMAC results showed:
APC – 40,295
ADC – 12,109
PDP – 3,398
SDP – 2,185
NNPP – 1,694
In Abaji Area Council, APC candidate Umar Abdullahi Abubakar won with 15,536 votes, defeating the PDP candidate who polled 4,547 votes, while the ADC garnered 37 votes.
Similarly, in Kwali Area Council, the APC’s Nuhu Daniel polled 17,032 votes to defeat PDP’s Haruna Pai, who secured 8,575 votes.
In Kuje Area Council, APC candidate Danjuma Shekwolo emerged victorious with 17,269 votes, ahead of the PDP candidate who polled 15,824 votes. The APGA candidate received 4,305 votes.
Following the announcement of the results, INEC reiterated its commitment to credible electoral processes. The commission’s chairman assured Nigerians that elections would continue to be determined at polling units, not in courtrooms, underscoring the commission’s resolve to uphold transparency and fairness.
The outcome of the polls consolidates the APC’s political foothold in the nation’s capital, with the PDP maintaining a presence through its victory in Gwagwalada.
