The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recently concluded its Area Council elections on Saturday, February 21, which saw the All Progressives Congress (APC) solidify its political dominance by winning five out of the six Area Councils. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the results, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) securing a solitary victory in Gwagwalada. This outcome is seen by some as a tightening of APC's grip on Abuja ahead of the 2027 general election, though it's noted as an off-season exercise.

INEC addressed various claims and operational aspects of the elections. The commission explicitly denied allegations of migrating voters to new polling units. Instead, its Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) Acting Director, Wilfred Ifogah, clarified that "split polling units" were created in large polling units with over 1,250 registered voters to prevent congestion on election day. These split units were located mere meters away from the original polling units within the same premises. To ensure voters were informed, INEC displayed the register of voters at designated centers and split polling units four days prior to the elections, and sent text messages and emails to affected voters between February 18 and 21, providing their updated polling unit locations. Ifogah also reported that 45 percent of polling units opened by 8:30 am on Election Day, with all units confirmed open by 10 am. The commission later disclosed that 93 percent of polling unit results had been uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal by Sunday afternoon.

The election results saw Christopher Maikalangu of the APC win the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) chairmanship with 40,295 votes, defeating ADC (12,109 votes) and PDP (3,398 votes). In Kwali, Daniel Nuhu of APC polled 17,032 votes to defeat Haruna Pai of PDP. Joshua Ishaku of APC secured the Bwari Area Council chairmanship with 18,466 votes. Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar of APC won Abaji Area Council with 15,535 votes, while Hon. Samuel Shekwolo of APC was declared winner of Kuje Area Council. The PDP's sole victory came in Gwagwalada, where Mohammed Kasim secured 22,165 votes against Yahaya Shehu of APC's 17,788 votes. Overall, only about 239,000 voters participated, representing approximately 15 percent of the 1,680,315 registered voters in the FCT.

The APC leadership and allies widely celebrated the outcome. President Bola Tinubu lauded the successful conduct of the FCT elections, along with by-elections in Rivers and Kano states, as a reinforcement of democratic culture. APC National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda described the victories as a testament to the party's resilience, unity, and grassroots strength, and a "resounding endorsement" of President Tinubu's reforms. FCT Minister Nyesom Wike congratulated Tinubu, praised the peaceful conduct, and stated that the results exposed "emergency democrats" and politicians using deceptive campaign tactics, affirming that FCT residents rejected those who fail to acknowledge national progress. He credited the peaceful election to President Tinubu's leadership and the "Renewed Hope Agenda," which he believes brought optimism and confidence to the FCT people. Southern governors, led by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, and the Lagos State chapter of APC also applauded the party's strong showing, viewing it as wide acceptance by Nigerians and a testimonial to Tinubu's good works.

Conversely, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party expressed concerns and initiated legal action. While congratulating their successful candidates, PDP's National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, alleged widespread irregularities, high-powered money politics, and "brazen executive brigandage." He claimed that armed security personnel were used to cart away result sheets, intimidate voters, and unduly influence outcomes, citing "reports and video evidence." The PDP inaugurated a special legal team, led by National Legal Adviser Shafi Bara'u, Esq., to challenge the election results. Ememobong also linked the "incredible voter apathy" to public dissatisfaction with the "anti-people Electoral Act 2026," warning it could foreshadow the 2027 general elections if no changes are made. Despite internal challenges, PDP presidential aspirant Dr. Gbenga Hashim saw the outcome as evidence of the party regaining momentum. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the low turnout (below 20 percent) as a "damning verdict on the health of Nigeria’s democracy," attributing it to a political environment poisoned by intolerance and the weakening of opposition voices, and called for opposition unity to "preserve the Republic." The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chairmanship candidate for AMAC, Dr. Moses Paul, refused to concede defeat, citing electoral irregularities.

Adding another dimension to the electoral process, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested 20 suspects on Saturday, February 21, for alleged electoral offences. These offences ranged from vote buying and selling to obstruction of electoral officers, involving a total of N17,218,700. One suspect was apprehended with N13,500,000 discovered inside a vehicle near a polling unit in Kwali Local Government Area. Arrests were made across Abaji (two suspects), Gwagwalada (nine), Kuje (four), and Kwali (four). The EFCC confirmed that investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be charged to court.