(DDM) – The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Kasim, has emerged winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election conducted across the Federal Capital Territory.
Kasim secured a total of 22,165 votes to defeat other contenders in the closely watched local government poll.
His closest rival, Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 17,788 votes.
The result was officially declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, who described the election as peaceful and orderly.
INEC conducted the elections across the six area councils of the FCT, namely Gwagwalada, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abaji, Kwali, Kuje, and Bwari.
The elections covered both chairmanship and councillorship positions.
In Gwagwalada, the total number of registered voters stood at 207,577.
Out of this figure, 46,294 voters were accredited to participate in the chairmanship contest.
The total number of valid votes recorded was 43,960, while 1,521 ballots were rejected.
A breakdown of results from the chairmanship contest shows that aside from the PDP’s 22,165 votes and APC’s 17,788 votes, other parties recorded lower figures.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 1,366 votes.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) polled 1,687 votes.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) garnered 432 votes.
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) received 158 votes, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) recorded 175 votes.
Other political parties scored marginal figures ranging between 24 and 151 votes.
Kasim’s campaign manifesto reportedly focused on community welfare, women’s empowerment, improved healthcare services, and enhanced educational opportunities for children in the area council.
The victory is considered significant for the PDP at a time when the party has faced internal divisions at the national level, including defections of high-profile members to rival political platforms such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Although local council election outcomes do not necessarily determine national political strength, observers note that the result reflects the PDP’s continued grassroots presence in parts of the nation’s capital.
The Gwagwalada outcome may also suggest that recent political realignments at the national level have not entirely reshaped voter loyalty in some local communities within Abuja.
