The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday conducted local elections across the six council areas of the Federal Capital Territory.
The six area councils are Gwagwalada, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abaji, Kwali, and Kuje.
On Sunday morning, the electoral umpire announced that Christopher Maikalangu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the chairmanship election for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). In contrast, the candidate of the beleaguered Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Kashim, emerged as the winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship.
Maikalangu, who is the incumbent chairman of AMAC, won a second term after securing 40,295 out of the total number of Valid Votes of 62,861 in the election.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.
The Returning Officer for AMAC, Prof. Andrew Abue, disclosed that out of the 65,197 votes cast, 2,336 were voided while 62,861 were certified valid.
He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.
“That Maikalangu of the APC, having certified the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Abue said.
According to him, the scores of the 12 political parties and their candidates that contested the AMAC chairmanship election are:
Agbon Vaniah of the Accord (A)-403 votes
Nemiebika Tamunomiesam of the Action Alliance (AA)-108 votes
Paul Ogidi of African Democratic Congress (ADC)-12,109 votes
Richard Elizabeth of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) -588 votes
Christopher Maikalangu of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-40,295 votes
Eze Chukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)-1,111 votes
Chukwu Promise of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM)-122 votes.
Ugoh Michael of the Action Peoples Party(APP)-32 votes
Thomas Happiness of the Boot Party (BP)-43 votes.
Jibrin Alhassan of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)-1,694 votes.
Samson Usani of the National Rescue Movement (NRM)-73 votes.
Dantani Zanda of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-3,398 votes
Iber Shimakaha of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)-90 votes
Simon Obinna of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)-2,185 votes
Madaki Robert of the Young Progressives Party (YPP)- 421 votes; and
Swani Buba of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)-189 votes.
For the Gwagwalada area council, Kashim polled 22,165 votes to defeat his rivals in the election. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Yahaya Shehu, who came second, garnered 17,788.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, who declared the result said the election was peaceful and hitch-free.
PDP victory came amid unceasing crisis occasioned by divisions, internal wranglings and devastating leadership tussle which has led to defection of governors and lawmakers to the APC and other high-ranking members to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A breakdown of the chairmanship election results in Gwagwalada Area Council is as follows:
Gwagwalada Area Council
– Registered voters: 207,577
– Accredited voters: 46,294
Results
– A: 151
– AA: 116
– ADC: 1,366
– ADP: 128
– APC: 17,788
– APGA: 1,687
– APM: 24
– NNPP: 175
– PDP: 22,165
– SDP: 432
– YPP: 158
– Total valid votes: 43,960
– Rejected votes: 1,521