Political Parties Ramp Up Campaigns Ahead of FCT Council Elections

With the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections set for Saturday, February 21, 2026, the political atmosphere is increasingly dynamic as parties fervently vie for voters’ support.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has endorsed candidates from 17 political parties to run for 68 positions, which include six chairmanship roles and 62 councillor seats across six councils: Abaji, the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. Among these, the focus is particularly on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alongside a few others.

According to INEC, the cleared parties comprise Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

All participating parties are actively campaigning, with the ADC particularly enhancing its profile through grassroots initiatives, such as health outreach programs in communities, aiming to leverage voter discontent into electoral success. On the other hand, candidates from the APC are relying on their incumbency to either retain or extend their influence.

A notable aspect of this election cycle is the complete omission of the Labour Party (LP) from the candidate list. Legal judgments have reaffirmed its exclusion due to unresolved internal leadership conflicts and legal disputes, resulting in no Labour Party candidate qualifying for the February 21 elections.

The troubles within the LP trace back to ongoing factional conflicts in its national leadership, leading to divergent claims over the legitimacy of its officeholders. These disputes escalated to both the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court. The LP had sought judicial redress against INEC for rejecting its candidates but was unsuccessful as the courts ruled the case was brought forward after the deadline for pre-election matters.

In addition to the LP's disqualification, there are signs of internal discord within the PDP. While the PDP managed to submit candidates for all council seats, leadership disputes in the FCT have ignited controversy. Different factions aligned with various national leaders have exchanged accusations over the governance of party structures, raising doubts about the PDP’s organizational integrity ahead of the elections.

Reports indicate that the FCT chapter of the PDP is asserting unity and boasts confidence with its candidates validated by INEC, indicating readiness to compete across all councils.

The absence of the Labour Party from the voting slate constitutes a drastic change from past elections in the FCT, where its grassroots strategy previously posed a challenge to more established parties, especially after its impressive showing in the 2023 presidential election. Analysts suggest this exclusion could significantly impact opposition votes and intensify competition between the APC and ADC.

Meanwhile, the internal conflicts within the PDP, alongside the mobilization efforts of both the APC and ADC, have the potential to affect voter turnout and strategic approaches on election day throughout the territory.

INEC reports about 1.68 million voters registered for the FCT elections and has implemented logistical enhancements, such as establishing sub-registration centers, to ensure smoother operations on election day.