FCT Poll: PDP Bounces Back, Defeats APC In Gwagwalada

Mohammed Kasim, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has emerged winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election conducted across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who secured 17,788 votes.

Declaring the result, Philip Akpen, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer, said the election was peaceful and smoothly conducted across the council.

INEC organised the polls across the six area councils of the FCT — Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abaji Area Council, Kwali Area Council and Kuje Area Council. The elections covered both chairmanship and councillorship positions.

According to the breakdown of results in Gwagwalada, there were 207,577 registered voters, while 46,294 were accredited. Total valid votes stood at 43,960, with 1,521 rejected votes.

Other parties recorded the following votes: ADC – 1,366; APGA – 1,687; SDP – 432; NNPP – 175; YPP – 158; ADP – 128; AA – 116; A – 151; and APM – 24.

The victory comes at a critical time for the PDP, which has been grappling with internal leadership disputes and high-profile defections at the national level.

Despite these challenges, the party’s win in Gwagwalada signals sustained grassroots support in parts of the nation’s capital.

While local election outcomes may not directly reflect national political dynamics, the result is considered a morale booster for the PDP and a notable contest in a territory often viewed as politically strategic due to its diverse, multi-ethnic and multi-religious population.