APC Drags PDP To Tribunal Over Gwagwalada Election Result

APC Drags PDP To Tribunal Over Gwagwalada Election Result
Party claims altered results, over voting and non compliance affected many polling units
Petition seeks cancellation and fresh determination of lawful election winner

The All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Yahaya Usman, have filed a petition challenging the outcome of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory.

The election, held on February 21, 2026, covered 10 wards and 338 polling units.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Mohammed Kasim of the Peoples Democratic Party as winner with 22,165 votes, while Usman secured 17,788 votes.

Dissatisfied with the result, the APC and its candidate approached the election tribunal, seeking to overturn the declaration. The case, marked FCT/ACEPT/EP/02/2026, challenges the validity of the outcome.

In their petition, the party and its candidate argued that the election did not comply with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026. They alleged widespread irregularities and corrupt practices, insisting that the declared winner did not secure the highest number of lawful votes.

They claimed that results in at least six polling units across Kutunku, Ibwa, Tungan Maje and Ikwa wards were altered to align with the number of accredited voters and conceal cases of over voting.

The petition also alleged tampering with result sheets, including cancellations and changes in recorded figures in some polling units, raising concerns over the credibility of the collation process.

According to the APC, votes recorded for its candidate were reduced in two polling units during collation.

The party further claimed that more than 100 polling units were affected by non compliance with electoral guidelines, while figures were allegedly erased and rewritten in eight polling units.

On voter accreditation, the petitioners stated that in 71 polling units across six wards, officials failed to properly mark voters’ details in the register, yet votes from those units were counted.

They also identified over voting in 31 polling units, where votes exceeded the number of accredited voters, arguing that affected votes should be cancelled.

After adjusting the disputed figures, the APC said it would have 16,499 valid votes against 18,929 for the PDP candidate, leaving a margin of 2,430 votes.

The petition added that the margin is smaller than the number of registered voters in the affected polling units, arguing that the result should not stand.