PDP Candidate Wins Gwagwalada Area Council Chairmanship

PDP Candidate Wins Gwagwalada Area Council Chairmanship

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mohammed Kasim, has emerged winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election held in the Federal Capital Territory.

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

Declaring the result, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Philip Akpen, said the election was peaceful and smooth.

INEC conducted the polls across the six area councils of the FCT, including Gwagwalada, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abaji, Kwali and Kuje. Elections were held for both chairmanship and councillorship positions.

A breakdown of the Gwagwalada chairmanship results showed that out of 207,577 registered voters, 46,294 were accredited. Total valid votes stood at 43,960, while 1,521 votes were rejected.

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.

Kasim campaigned on a manifesto centred on community welfare, women’s empowerment, improved healthcare services and enhanced educational opportunities for children.

The victory comes at a time when the Peoples Democratic Party is grappling with internal crises at the national level, including leadership divisions and the defection of some governors and lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress. Prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have also moved to the African Democratic Congress.

Although local government election outcomes do not necessarily reflect national political strength, the result in Gwagwalada is considered a significant boost for the PDP in a part of the nation’s capital known for its multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition.

Political observers say the outcome may also indicate that recent high-profile defections to the APC may not have substantially shifted voter loyalty in some grassroots communities.