The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate, Hon. Zadna Dantani, has withdrawn from the February 21, 2026, Area Council elections to endorse his All Progressives Congress (APC) rival, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.
Dantani announced his decision following the intervention of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, who he described as a party leader in the region. In a statement, Dantani said he consulted widely and agreed to step down because the contest was a “brotherhood election.” He cited support for the “good works” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a factor in his decision.
He formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of his voluntary withdrawal through a letter, stating the choice was made of his own free will after consultations with family and stakeholders. In the letter, Dantani, from Gosa Village along Airport Road, Abuja, confirmed his withdrawal from the AMAC chairmanship race.
Dantani urged his supporters across AMAC’s twelve wards to now rally behind Maikalangu, the APC candidate. His withdrawal comes shortly after another PDP candidate, Julius Adamu, withdrew from the Bwari Area Council chairmanship contest in favour of his APC opponent, Joshua Ishaku Musa.
These developments signal a significant shift in the political landscape for the upcoming FCT Area Council elections, with prominent PDP candidates aligning with the ruling party’s flagbearers in key contests. The moves are likely to reshape campaign dynamics in the days before the polls.
