The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday formally presented certificates of return to the winners of the February 21 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), including the re-elected Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu, and his Vice Chairman, Mohammed Nadabo. The presentation, made at INEC’s office by the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aminu Idris, marked the official conclusion of the electoral process.
REC Idris described the election as successful and transparent, congratulating the six newly elected council chairmen, their deputies, and 62 councilors. He urged the officials to view their mandates as a duty to serve, emphasizing the trust placed in them by voters. The REC also thanked stakeholders, including the Nigeria Police Force and political parties, for their contributions to a peaceful election.
Speaking after receiving his certificate, Maikalangu, who secured a second term, expressed gratitude to the electorate and pledged to prioritize development in rural communities, allocating 80 percent of projects and programmes to those areas. “Anytime you talk about local government, you are talking about local people,” he said, promising to deliver the “dividend of democracy.” He noted that infrastructure development would be tailored to the specific needs of each ward, citing Kabusa and Garki as examples requiring targeted attention. The chairman also called for political unity, inviting opponents to collaborate, stating, “We are all political friends. Let them come and join us.”
Vice Chairman-elect Nadabo assured residents of an open-door policy, stressing that the administration would remain people-oriented and responsive to varied local needs, from water and education to infrastructure. “We will operate in tandem with what is available… so that we do not create a questionable impression,” he said.
The certification paves the way for the swearing-in of the new officials, who will oversee local governance in Nigeria’s capital territory. The election of AMAC’s leadership is particularly significant, as the council administers Abuja, a key urban centre. The commission’s formalization of results underscores the completion of the democratic process at the local government level in the FCT.
