Grassroots governance in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, turned a new chapter on Saturday, 21 February 2026. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted a peaceful election across all the 2,822 polling units in 62 wards.
INEC recorded 637 candidates from 17 political parties vying for 68 positions, which include six chairmanship seats and 62 councillorship seats. The results have been announced, and a fresh set of FCT councillors is preparing to take charge and fully transform the healthcare sector, roads, and dilapidated schools in Abuja communities.
Everything you need to know about the just-concluded FCT Councillorship election has been carefully compiled. So you can find your ward, know all the FCT Councillors, and understand what this incoming administration means for grassroots in FCT, Abuja.
Note: INEC is yet to publish the full list of FCT ward-level Councillors. This page will be updated as INEC releases an official statement. Residents are advised to check the INEC portal for accurate ward-level results.
Abuja 2026 Chairmanship Election: Results of the Six Elected Chairmen
The All Progressives Congress (APC) took five out of six area council Chairmanship seats. Here is a quick summary of the newly elected FCT area council Chairmen.
| AREA COUNCIL | ELECTED CHAIRMAN | PARTY | TOTAL VOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abaji | Hon. Umar Abdullahi Abubakar | APC | 15,536 |
| AMAC | Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu | APC | 40,295 |
| Bwari | Hon. Joshua Ishaku | APC | 18,466 |
| Gwagwalada | Hon. Mohammed Kasim | PDP | 22,165 |
| Kuje | Hon. Danjuma Shekwolo | APC | 17,269 |
| Kwali | Hon. Daniel Nuhu Kwali | APC | 17,032 |
Full List of FCT Councillors 2026 by Ward
Abuja has 6 area councils, each divided into 10-12 wards.
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of all Councils in FCT and their individual Councillors. Names are updated as INEC publishes ward-level results.
Abaji Area Council
Hon. Umar Abdullahi Abubakar is a Nigerian politician and the elected Chairman of the Abaji Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
As a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he successfully secured the Abaji Area Council chairmanship seat in the FCT elections held on February 21, 2026, helping the APC win a majority of the territory’s area councils.
His first term in Abaji was notable for the free medical outreach Programme, which benefited over 2,000 people from all 10 wards. He gave financial support to council staff when the fuel subsidy was removed in 2023 to reduce hardship.
Now re-elected to office with 15,536 votes, he’s set to reach as many wards as possible by collaborating with the traditional ruler of the Abaji community to ensure that no part of the community is left out of his evolutionary project.
His administration has placed a strong emphasis on local welfare and economic relief. This includes supporting cash empowerment programs for widows and instituting a bursary scheme for Abaji youth studying in tertiary institutions across the country.
In addition, he has actively championed transparent communication by collaborating with indigenous media platforms, such as the Aso Mirror newspaper, to bridge the gap between the local government and citizens regarding policies and reforms.
Wards
Elected Councillor
Abaji Central
Pending official release
Agyana
Pending (Check back for update)
Gawu
Pending (Check back for update)
Gudun Karya
Pending (Check back for update)
Ibwa
Pending (Check back for update)
Karshi
Pending (Check back for update)
Nuku
Pending (Check back for update)
Oganye
Pending (Check back for update)
Rimba
Pending (Check back for update)
Yaba
Pending (Check back for update)
Individual councillor names for all wards are yet to be published by INEC. This table will be updated when official data is released
Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)
Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu is a Nigerian politician and the two-term Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He grew up in Garki, where he began his political career as a ward Councillor in 2013. He was originally elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but officially defected to the APC in April 2025.
Widely known as “Maikalangu,” he is a prominent Abuja indigene who has built strong political grassroots support across AMAC’s 12 wards. AMAC is widely considered the most central and economically significant council in the FCT, as it houses the Nigerian presidency and federal ministries.
In a major political realignment ahead of the 2026 election cycle, he led a mass defection of over 20,000 PDP members, including all 12 of his serving councillors, to the APC during a “Unity Rally” endorsed by APC national leadership.
Running as the incumbent APC candidate in the FCT Area Council elections held in February 2026, he successfully secured his re-election, recording a wide-margin victory at his polling unit and defeating rival candidates to retain the chairmanship seat.
Residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council rewarded him by re-electing him into power with 40,295 votes. Hon. Christopher Zakka’s mandate is clear, tested, and trusted.
Bwari Area Council
Hon. Joshua Ishaku Musa is a Nigerian politician and the elected Chairman of the Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and won all 33 delegate votes at the APC June 2025 primary election.
He won the Bwari Area Council chairmanship seat during the FCT Area Council elections on February 21, 2026. He secured the office by polling 18,466 votes, defeating candidates from the ADC, ZLP, and other opposition parties.
His campaign received a major boost 72 hours before the election when the main opposition candidate, Julius Adamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), officially stepped down to support him, a move reportedly brokered by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. He is associated with the traditional title “Sarkin Yaki” (Chief of War/Warlord), which was notably celebrated in a 2025 musical tribute by local artist Sheks Jp.
Wards
Elected Councillor
Bwari Central
Pending Official Release
Byazhin
To be confirmed
Dutse
To be confirmed
Igu
To be confirmed
Kawu
To be confirmed
Kuduru
To be confirmed
Kubwa
To be confirmed
Shere
To be confirmed
Ushafa
To be confirmed
Usuma
To be confirmed
Gwagwalada Area Council
Hon. Mohammed Kasim is a Nigerian politician and the current Chairman of the Gwagwalada Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He holds a First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), a Grade II Teachers’ Certificate, and a National Certificate in Education (NCE). As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a veteran of Gwagwalada local politics, he previously ran as the PDP candidate for Vice-Chairman of the Gwagwalada Area Council, alongside chairmanship candidate Danze Mustapha, in the 2013 elections.
He won the Gwagwalada chairmanship seat in the FCT Area Council elections held on February 21, 2026. He won the PDP area council seat, polling 22,165 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Yahaya Usman Shehu, and others.
Wards
Elected Councillor
Gwagwalada Central
Pending Official Release
Gwako
To be confirmed
Idzom
To be confirmed
Ikwa
To be confirmed
Kutunku
To be confirmed
Lambata
To be confirmed
Paikon Kore
To be confirmed
Tungan Maje
To be confirmed
Ushafa
To be confirmed
Zuba
To be confirmed
Kuje Area Council
Hon. Danjuma Samuel Shekwolo is a Nigerian politician and the newly elected Chairman of the Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He holds a First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), a National Examinations Council (NECO) certificate, and a National Diploma/Higher National Diploma (ND/HND).
He ran as the APC candidate for the Kuje Area Council during the FCT elections held on February 21, 2026. Running alongside his Vice-Chairmanship candidate, Boyi Asabe Zainab, he successfully secured the chairmanship seat, delivering Kuje for the APC with 17,269 votes. The level of resilience he showed during the election sets him on a task to bring all parties together while still fulfilling his mandate.
Wards
Elected Councillor
Chibiri
Pending Official Release
Gaube
To be confirmed
Gudun Gwanki
To be confirmed
Kuje Central
To be confirmed
Kuje Asa
To be confirmed
Kuje Kwaku
To be confirmed
Rimba
To be confirmed
Rubochi
To be confirmed
Toge
To be confirmed
Yenche
To be confirmed
Kwali Area Council
Hon. Daniel Nuhu Kwali is a Nigerian politician and the newly elected Chairman of the Kwali Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He holds a First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), a Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) certificate, and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree. He is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was the outgoing speaker of the Kwali Area Council legislative assembly.
He ran as the APC candidate for the Kwali Area Council during the FCT elections held in February 2026. Running alongside his Vice-Chairmanship candidate, Abdullahi Ramatu, he successfully secured the chairmanship seat by polling 17,032 votes to deliver Kwali for the APC.
Wards
Elected Councillor
Ashara
Pending Official Release
Dafa
To be confirmed
Gumbo
To be confirmed
Kilankwa
To be confirmed
Kundu
To be confirmed
Kwali Central
To be confirmed
Pai
To be confirmed
Wako
To be confirmed
Yangoji
To be confirmed
Yebu
To be confirmed
The Role of Your New Councillors
The FCT Area Councils Act and relevant local government laws state that councillors are the primary legislative voice for wards, as they debate and pass the local budget in the legislative assembly and provide the necessary oversight of the executive arm. But Nigerians often focus on the Chairmen, expecting them to carry out the statutory responsibilities of councillors. It’s important to understand that your councillor has the power to decide how much money is allocated to road construction, primary healthcare, environmental sanitation, market infrastructure, and other community projects.
Councillors are the first point of contact between you and the government. It is their responsibility to identify roads that have been in disrepair for a long time and reconstruct them. Stable power supply, functioning boreholes, desks, and qualified teachers in community schools are what they owe their constituency as ward-level councillors.
They attend community meetings, represent their wards at council sessions, and inform the chairman of the struggles their community members face. Chairmen set the vision while councillors ensure it reaches the ward level, right down to the last street. Basically, councillors are mediators between you and the government. Your concerns and complaints should go to them.
Why Your Engagement Matters
Each of the newly elected FCT councillors is more than just a new face in office. They represent the beginning of an outstanding democratic process because they owe their commitment to their constituents. During the 2026 FCT Councillorship elections, people came out en masse to vote. Their involvement contributed to the election’s success. You have a role to play in maintaining good governance across all levels.
Attending community meetings and actively participating in ward-level exercises keeps you abreast of your rights as a citizen and the responsibilities of the councillor representing your ward. Lend your voice to the movement through the right channel. In case you don’t know the councillor in charge of your ward, check back for an updated list of Elected FCT councillors as INEC releases official ward-level results
FAQs
How many Councillors does FCT Abuja have?
Abuja is divided into 6 LGAs and 62 wards. With 62 councillors representing each ward–AMAC 12, Bwari 10, Abaji 10, Kuje 10, and Kwali 10
When was the FCT councillorship election for 2026?
The 2026 FCT Councillorship elections were conducted on February 21, 2026, by INEC