Vote Competence, Not Ethnicity in FCT Polls

Abuja Residents Urged to Prioritise Merit in Upcoming Area Council Polls

As the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) prepares for area council elections on Saturday, a prominent figure from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on residents to cast their votes based on candidate competence and integrity, setting aside considerations of ethnicity, religion, or financial inducements.

Prince Adewole Adebayo, a former presidential candidate for the SDP, made the appeal during an event in Gwagwalada on Tuesday. He framed the election as a critical opportunity for citizens to reshape grassroots leadership and demand greater accountability from their elected representatives.

Adebayo highlighted the foundational purpose of the FCT, established in 1976 under General Murtala Muhammed’s administration to provide equal infrastructure and opportunities for all Nigerians. He argued that persistent disparities between well-developed districts like Asokoro and Maitama and underserved satellite towns such as Gwagwalada reflect a failure to uphold that vision. Residents in many areas continue to face significant challenges, including unreliable electricity, inadequate potable water, poor road conditions, under-resourced schools, and rising security concerns.

The SDP chieftain stressed that addressing these issues requires policy-driven leadership committed to balanced territorial development, rather than sectional interests.

In related developments, Khalid Bala-Gano, the SDP’s chairmanship candidate for Gwagwalada Area Council, expressed optimism about his party’s chances in the forthcoming polls.

The Saturday election will determine the leadership for all six area councils within Nigeria’s capital territory, a vote that local analysts note will directly impact the delivery of basic services and community development across the FCT.