ABUJA, Nigeria — Mohammed Kasim of the Peoples Democratic Party secured victory in the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship race, officials announced Sunday.

Returning Officer Philip Akpen declared the results after polls closed on Feb. 21, 2026. Kasim’s tally of 22,165 votes topped Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress, who garnered 17,788. Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance placed third with 1,687 votes.

Akpen called the election peaceful and smoothly conducted. “I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on February 21, 2026,” he stated. “Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”

The win gives PDP a foothold in the Federal Capital Territory’s area council elections. Results elsewhere paint a mixed picture. The All Progressives Congress took the Abuja Municipal Area Council, known as AMAC, along with Bwari and Kwali councils.

Kuje Area Council results remain under collation. Officials had no updates yet from Abaji Area Council as of Sunday evening.

Voters turned out across the six FCT area councils Saturday for chairmanship and councillorship races. INEC deployed personnel and materials to polling units despite earlier concerns over logistics in some remote wards. Akpen’s announcement at the Gwagwalada collation center drew cheers from PDP supporters gathered outside.

The elections cap a busy cycle for Nigeria’s electoral body. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu urged calm during result announcements nationwide. No major disruptions marred Gwagwalada polling, according to observers on site.

APC’s Shehu conceded little ground in his concession speech, praising his campaign’s reach but acknowledging the vote count. PDP leaders hailed Kasim’s margin as a sign of strong local support. He takes office amid pledges to tackle infrastructure gaps and youth unemployment in the busy council, home to thousands near Abuja’s western edge.

Full councillorship results from Gwagwalada wards will follow soon, Akpen added. INEC plans to release a thorough FCT report once all councils finalize tallies.