The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mohammed Kasim of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election conducted on Saturday.
While declaring the result, the INEC Returning Officer, Philip Akpen, announced that PDP polled the highest votes in the council.
Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat his closest rival, Yahaya Shehu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 17,788.
The election was a tight race between Kasim and Yahaya Shehu of the APC with speculations of withdrawals dogging the campaigns ahead of the Saturday election.
However, both candidates came out to deny hat they had stepped down.
Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship vote breakdown
• PDP (Mohammed Kasim): 22,165
• APC (Yahaya Shehu): 17,788
• ADC: 1,366
• APGA: 1,687
The local elections were conducted by INEC across the FCT’s six area councils — Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.
The victory comes at a time the PDP is facing one of its toughest battles since it’s establishment in 1998.
Before Saturday’s victory, Gwagalada was under the control of APC. Abu Giri,member of the ruling party, is the outgoing chairman
