FCT council polls: Why PDP defeated Buhari’s APC in AMAC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has floored the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, the council that hosts Nigeria’s seat of power, Aso Rock Villa.

Aside winning the chairmanship, the party also defeated President Muhammadu Buhari’s APC in 10 of the 12 wards of the council.

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Constitutionally, President Buhari is the FCT Governor with two misters governing the territory on his behalf.

In the council elections result announced yesterday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Christopher Zakka (Maikalangu) of the PDP polled 19,302 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Murtala Usman Karshi (Yamarayi) of the APC, who scored 13,249.

Although APC was said to have won at the polling unit at the presidential villa, stakeholders attributed its lost in the council to crisis in the party.

A chieftain of the party in the area told Daily Trust that the inability of the party to come with one acceptable candidate was one of the reasons it lost the election.

It would be recalled that not until last Thursday when the Supreme Court declared Mr Karshi as the party’s candidate, two aspirants, Karshi and Suleiman Alhassan Gwagwa, were parading themselves and campaigning as the candidates of the party in the council.

In Bwari Area Council, PDP’s John Gabaya polled 13,045 votes to beat Audi Shekwolo of the APC who scored 7,697 votes.

In Kuje, Abdullahi Suleiman Sabo of the PDP scored 13,301 votes to beat Sarki Hamidu Gaube of the APC who secured 7,694 votes to emerge second.

In Gwagwalada, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri of the APC scored 11,125 votes to beat his closest rival, Mohammed Kasim Ikwa of the PDP, who got 9,597 votes. 

In Kwali, the incumbent Chairman, Danladi Chiya of the APC, defeated his closest rival, Haruna Pai of the PDP to win the keenly contested election.

 The INEC Returning Officer for Kwali Area Council, Wesley Daniel, who made the announcement, said Mr Chiya polled 7,646 votes while Mr Pai garnered 7,345 votes, a difference of 301 votes.

In Abaji, APC polled 7,289 votes to beat Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu of PDP who scored 4,062 to emerge second.

Our City and Crime Editor reports that in Abaji, APC’s candidateship is subject of a legal tussle as two aspirants of the party are awaiting a Supreme Court judgement on the matter.