Kasim Secures Victory in Gwagwalada Chairmanship Race

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Kasim, has been declared winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following the conclusion of Saturday’s local government polls.

The result, announced in the early hours of Sunday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), confirmed Kasim’s victory after a closely watched contest against candidates of other political parties, particularly the All Progressives Congress (APC). The election formed part of the broader Area Council polls conducted across the six councils in the FCT.

Official Results and Electoral Breakdown

Independent National Electoral Commission Returning Officer Philip Akpen declared that Mohammed Kasim of the PDP secured 22,165 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yahaya Shehu of the APC, who polled 17,788 votes. Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) came third with 1,687 votes.

According to the official figures released, Gwagwalada Area Council recorded 207,577 registered voters, out of which 46,294 were accredited. A total of 43,960 votes were deemed valid, while 1,521 were rejected. Other parties that participated in the election received significantly lower vote counts, reflecting a largely two-party contest at the top.

Declaring the result, Akpen stated that Kasim, having satisfied the requirements of the law, was duly returned elected. He also described the election as peaceful and smoothly conducted, noting that due process was followed throughout the collation and declaration stages.

Conduct of the Election and Reactions

The election was conducted simultaneously across the six Area Councils of the FCT — Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali — covering both chairmanship and councillorship positions. Observers described voter turnout in Gwagwalada as moderate compared to the total number of registered voters.

While INEC maintained that the process was peaceful, there were reports in some quarters alleging voter intimidation, vote-buying and heightened security presence at certain polling units. However, electoral officials insisted that these issues did not substantially affect the overall integrity of the process, and that the final outcome reflected the will of the electorate.

Following the announcement, PDP supporters gathered in parts of Gwagwalada town to celebrate the victory, waving party flags and chanting slogans. Attention has now shifted to the response of opposition parties and the next steps in the post-election process, including the possibility of legal challenges, if any.

Political Implications for Gwagwalada

Mohammed Kasim’s victory is seen as a consolidation of grassroots support for the PDP in Gwagwalada Area Council. Political analysts note that local government elections often serve as indicators of party strength ahead of larger state and national contests.

The margin of 4,377 votes between the PDP and APC candidates underscores a competitive political environment in the Gwagwalada council area . Stakeholders have called on all parties to prioritize stability and governance in the aftermath of the polls.

As Gwagwalada transitions to a new administration, residents are expected to look toward the chairman-elect for policy direction, improved service delivery and community development initiatives in the coming term.