The political temperature is rising ahead of the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition parties step up mobilisation in what analysts view as a strategic test of strength before the 2027 general elections.
In a show of organisational readiness, the APC on Friday inaugurated a 105-member National Campaign Council in Abuja, tasking members with ensuring grassroots penetration across the territory’s six area councils.
Party leaders described the polls as more than a local contest, framing them instead as a symbolic political battle for influence in the nation’s administrative heart.
Inaugurating the council, Nentawe Yilwatda, APC National Chairman, said the election would require unity, coordination and sustained mobilisation if the party hopes to dominate the territory.
He emphasised that Abuja’s unique demographic composition makes the contest nationally significant, noting that residents from all geopolitical zones live and vote in the capital.
“This party is your home. We must open the space for inclusive participation and provide leadership that attracts Nigerians from every corner,” he said.
Yilwatda added that the party has continued to witness defections from rival parties, which he interpreted as growing confidence in the APC’s national leadership.
He also recalled that the party lost a key area council to the Social Democratic Party in the previous electoral cycle, stressing that the forthcoming election presents an opportunity to reclaim lost ground and consolidate influence.
Governors, other bigwigs to anchor campaign machinery
The campaign council is chaired by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State and chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (NGF), with governors Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and Mohammed Umar Bago (Niger) serving as co-chairmen.
The council also includes top federal figures such as Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, Speaker of the House ,Tajuddeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, among other party heavyweights.
In his remarks as council secretary, Kalu expressed confidence that the party would secure victory, arguing that the APC’s governance record and infrastructure investments in Abuja would resonate with voters.
He cited ongoing projects supervised by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to development in the FCT.
Kalu also revealed that the campaign strategy would rely heavily on door-to-door engagement, business outreach and youths mobilisation , a method aimed at converting federal presence into grassroots electoral advantage.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed February 21 for the elections into chairmanship and councillorship positions across the six councils – Abuja Municipal Area Council, Bwari, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali. INEC has already conducted mock accreditation exercises, signalling readiness for the polls.
Recall that the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, said last week that the party remains fully prepared for the FCT council elections despite its earlier request for a postponement due to the Ramadan period.
He said INEC had explained that shifting the date was not possible because the election timeline was constitutionally prescribed.
