Barely weeks to the February 21, 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, deepening internal crises within opposition parties threatening to reshape the political landscape of the polls.
Seventy-four candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now face possible disqualification, while the Labour Party (LP) has been completely shut out of the contest, raising fresh concerns about competitiveness, voter confidence and democratic choice in the Nigeria’s capital.
Documents released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that of the 16 registered political parties cleared for the elections, the Labour Party stands alone without a single candidate.
The elections will fill 68 elective positions across the six area councils, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji and Kwali comprising six chairmanship seats and 62 councillorship positions.
While most parties made the list, internal wrangling has left two major opposition platforms on shaky ground.
The PDP’s predicament stems from a fierce leadership battle at the national level. Although the party submitted a full slate of 74 candidates, 12 for chairmanship and vice-chairmanship positions and 62 councillorship aspirants, the legality of those nominations is under threat.
Rival factions led by former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, and Abdulrahman Mohammed, backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, are locked in court battles over control of the party.
The Labour Party’s exclusion, however, is already a done deal, as prolonged leadership tussle between the Julius Abure-led faction and the Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee supported by Peter Obi and Abia State Governor Alex Otti has paralysed the party’s participation.
INEC’s refusal to recognise the Nnewi convention that re-elected Abure, coupled with its insistence on dealing only with legally recognised party leadership, meant the LP could not upload candidates, despite a court order directing the commission to grant access.
Observers warn that the unfolding scenario echoes past electoral crises, notably the 2019 general elections where party nomination irregularities led to the nullification of results in Zamfara and Rivers states.
In the FCT, a similar outcome could erase all PDP candidates from the ballot, leaving voters with fewer options.
The Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group, Auwal Rafsanjani, cautioned that the absence or disqualification of major opposition parties could fuel voter apathy and produce a lopsided contest, undermining the credibility of grassroots democracy in the capital city.
