Atiku Urges voters to Reject APC in FCT Council Elections, Cites National Need for Change
Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to vote against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2026 local government council elections, framing the polls as a critical step toward addressing broader national challenges.
In a statement posted on his social media account, Atiku, a prominent figure in the opposition Action Democratic Congress (ADC), said he and other party leaders, including former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, recently engaged with voters in Abuja to underscore the election’s importance. He described the FCT polls as a direct test of both electoral management and citizen resolve.
“This election is very important. It will say a lot about how ready the managers of our elections are to deliver free, fair and credible polls,” Atiku stated. He added that the outcome would also demonstrate “how prepared citizens are to demand political change.”
The former vice president urged a large voter turnout to support ADC candidates, whom he said were selected for “competence, capacity and character.” He also encouraged voters to resist any intimidation, noting: “Voters have the responsibility to defy all forms of intimidation and make the right choice.”
Atiku used the platform to sharply criticize the APC-led federal government under President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of failing on multiple national issues. “The APC-led Federal Government has failed citizens on many fronts,” he asserted.
He positioned the FCT elections as an initial opportunity for voters to begin reversing the party’s influence. “APC must be voted out in the coming elections, and we should start with the FCT elections,” Atiku declared.
The 2026 FCT Area Council elections, scheduled for February 2026, will elect chairpersons and councillors for Abuja’s six area councils. While local in scope, the contests are often viewed as a barometer for national political sentiment and a battleground for opposition parties seeking to erode the APC’s control. Atiku’s intervention highlights the ADC’s strategic focus on capitalizing on public discontent by targeting a territory directly administered by the federal government.
The elections will be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which has faced persistent scrutiny over its ability to ensure transparent polls. Atiku’s remarks directly challenge INEC’s credibility while energizing opposition efforts to coalesce around local contests ahead of the 2027 general elections. His call underscores a broader opposition strategy to shift momentum by winning key subnational offices first.
