The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken decisive steps to contest the outcome of Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, inaugurating a dedicated special legal team to challenge what it describes as manipulation, voter intimidation, and other serious irregularities that favored the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in five of the six chairmanship seats.
The PDP’s move comes shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared final results on Sunday, February 22, 2026, confirming the APC’s victory in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abaji, Bwari, Kwali, and Kuje Area Councils, while the PDP retained only Gwagwalada.
In a statement, the PDP congratulated its Gwagwalada chairman-elect, Mohammed Kasim, who polled 22,165 votes to defeat APC’s Yahaya Shehu (17,788 votes), as well as successful councillors.
However, the party sharply criticized the broader process, alleging that reports and video evidence showed armed security personnel carting away result sheets from polling units, intimidating voters, and unduly influencing outcomes in APC-favoring areas.
To address these grievances, the PDP has constituted a special legal team headed by its National Legal Adviser, Shafi Bara’u, Esq. The team is tasked with handling post-election complaints, petitions, and litigations arising from the polls.
The party urged its aggrieved candidates and supporters to contact the National Legal Adviser immediately for prompt action, emphasizing that delays could be fatal in election petition matters under Nigerian law.
PDP sources described the APC’s near-sweep as suspicious, pointing to persistent issues such as low voter turnout, alleged vote buying, late arrival of election materials, and logistical failures that undermined the credibility of the exercise.
While the party celebrated its Gwagwalada holdout as evidence of its enduring strength in parts of the FCT, it vowed to pursue legal remedies aggressively to ensure justice.
INEC has maintained that the elections were largely peaceful and credible, with results reflecting the will of voters despite challenges.
No official response from the electoral body or the APC to the PDP’s legal threat had been issued as of Monday afternoon, though APC leaders have previously hailed the outcomes as a demonstration of public support for the party’s governance in the capital.
The development heightens political tensions in the FCT ahead of the 2027 general elections
The PDP’s legal push signals an early battle over electoral integrity, as both major parties position themselves for future contests.
As the special legal team begins its work, stakeholders await details on specific petitions, potential court filings, and whether the challenges will extend to councillorship results across the 62 wards.
The situation remains fluid, with calls for calm from various quarters amid the ongoing fallout from the February 21 polls.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
