As residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) head to the polls on Saturday, February 21, 2025, to elect chairmen and councillors across the six area councils, the elections are shaping into a crucial test of strength for the opposition coalition rallying under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The polls, to be conducted in Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali, are widely seen as a referendum on emerging political realignments in the territory, amid open backing of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The ADC, buoyed by prominent opposition figures including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has intensified its campaign, urging residents to reject the ruling APC.
In AMAC, the ADC chairmanship candidate, Dr. Moses Paul, described his ambition as the product of years of community engagement.
“Preparation for leadership does not begin a few days before an election. It is built over time through service and sacrifice,” he said, insisting that the contest represents “a turning point” for residents seeking accountable governance.
Paul pledged cooperation with lawful authorities, including the FCT administration, if elected, but stressed that his primary loyalty would remain with the people.
“Leadership is not about ego; it is about responsibility. I will work with every lawful authority in the interest of our people,” he stated.
On questions surrounding indigeneity, he maintained that service, rather than birthplace, should define leadership credentials in the cosmopolitan capital.
However, the elections have been overshadowed by the assertive intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who has openly declared support for candidates aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda, regardless of party affiliation.
Wike, while addressing supporters in Abuja last week, said he would ensure that only candidates backing the President emerge victorious.
“I have a duty to support any candidate that supports President Tinubu to win,” he said, adding that he owed “no apology” for his stance.
His position has triggered significant shifts within the PDP. In Bwari, the PDP chairmanship candidate, Julius Adamu, stepped down in favour of the APC candidate, Joshua Ishaku Musa. Similarly, in AMAC, the PDP’s Hon. Zadna Dantani withdrew from the race to back the incumbent APC candidate, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.
Party insiders attribute both withdrawals to strategic recalibrations influenced by the minister’s political weight in the territory, effectively blurring party lines and consolidating support for the APC in key councils.
Across markets and neighbourhoods, residents expressed cautious optimism mixed with fatigue over campaign promises.
Aisha Abdulkadir, a trader in Bwari market, lamented what she described as a cycle of absentee leadership. “We are tired of leaders who come during campaigns and then disappear,” she said.
Joy Okon, a provision seller at Dutse market, called for competence over ambition, while a mobile phone dealer, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, emphasised the need for improved infrastructure and security.
Others, like civil servant Victoria Odumu, said their votes would be guided by track record rather than rhetoric.
Security agencies have announced a 12-hour restriction of movement across the FCT from 6am to 6pm on election day to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
With the ADC seeking to assert itself as a viable opposition platform and the APC benefiting from high-profile cross-party endorsements, Saturday’s vote may redefine the political equilibrium in the nation’s capital — and signal the trajectory of broader opposition realignments ahead of future national contests.
