February 22, 2026 11:53 pm
Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has thanked President Bola Tinubu for the peaceful conduct of the council elections held across the nation’s capital on Saturday.
Earlier on Sunday, Tinubu commended Wike, saying his “remarkable achievements” had translated into political gains for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the polls.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Lere Olayinka, his senior special assistant on public communication and social media, Wike described the outcome of the council polls as a reflection of the president’s vision and leadership.
Wike expressed appreciation to Tinubu for the developmental strides in the FCT, adding that the election outcome had clarified “the ruling party and the real opposition party in the country.”
According to the statement, Wike spoke during a special broadcast on national television and radio stations on Sunday evening, describing the election as a testament to the commitment of FCT residents to democracy and good governance.
He said the exercise had also exposed “the hypocrisy of people who go about buying corn and groundnut from roadside sellers for campaign optics to deceive Nigerians.”
“The residents of FCT demonstrated that they cannot be deceived by emergency democrats who have chosen not to see anything good in our country and its government,” the statement reads.
Wike added that the polls underscored the impact of the president’s renewed hope agenda in restoring optimism and confidence among residents.
The minister commended Tinubu for supporting democratic reforms, particularly the amendment of the Electoral Act, which he said has strengthened the conduct of credible elections.
He also thanked the FCT residents for their faith in the democratic process under Tinubu’s administration.
“To all the candidates who participated in the election, I commend your belief in our democracy. Your participation is proof of your commitment to ensuring that the voice of the minority is heard, even when the majority prevails,” he said.
Wike further praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a free, fair and credible exercise and lauded security agencies for ensuring a peaceful process.
He urged the winners to govern with humility and dedication, calling on them to work towards improving the lives of residents and advancing development across the FCT.
The APC secured a dominant victory in the council elections by winning five out of six chairmanship positions, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged victorious in the Gwagwalada area council.
But the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the coalition party of opposition leaders, did not win a single chairmanship seat in the election.
