PDP Candidate Withdraws from Bwari Council Race, Endorses APC Rival days before FCT Poll
Just three days before the February 21 elections for the Bwari Area Council chairmanship in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Julius Adamu, has withdrawn from the contest. In a surprising move, Adamu announced his exit from the race and urged his supporters to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Joshua Musa.
Adamu made the announcement during an engagement in Abuja on Wednesday, citing direct intervention by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. He framed his decision around a personal rapport with his rival, stating, “I have come to the conclusion that I and Joshua, we are brothers. It will not be nice for two brothers to kill themselves over one office. Therefore, I have relinquished my ambition to Joshua.”
Minister Wike, who attended the event, explicitly tied his political support to a development promise. Addressing Bwari electorates directly, he said, “If you vote for Joshua, I will do more roads in Bwari. Let nobody make any mistake, on Saturday, come out and make sure that Joshua wins the election.”
This withdrawal significantly reshapes the political landscape for the Bwari Area Council chairmanship, the highest local government position in the FCT’s most populous council. Bwari’s strategic size and adjacency to the city centre make its leadership a key political prize.
The move highlights the enduring influence of the FCT Minister in local politics within the territory. While area council elections are constitutionally non-partisan, national party affiliations often play a decisive role. Minister Wike’s public endorsement and direct appeal for the APC candidate constitute a major intervention that could sway voter alignment in the final days of the campaign.
The PDP’s loss of its standard-bearer so close to the poll leaves its local structure without a candidate in a key race. The party has not yet commented on the withdrawal. For the APC, the unexpected consolidation of support from a major opponent, backed by a powerful federal minister, presents a clear advantage heading into Saturday’s vote.
The election will proceed as scheduled, with Joshua Musa now the sole major party candidate for the chairmanship. The outcome in Bwari is being closely watched as an indicator of political shifts in the FCT under the current administration. Voters will decide on Saturday whether the last-minute endorsement and development pledge will translate into a decisive victory for the APC candidate.
