The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that he will only endorse candidates who align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming FCT Area Council elections, set for February 21, 2026.
Speaking on Saturday in Abuja at the 60th birthday celebration of Senator Sandy Onor, Wike emphasized that his decision was driven by a sense of duty to the President. A statement released on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, further clarified Wike’s position.
In the statement, Wike asserted his willingness to support any candidate regardless of party affiliation provided they back the President’s agenda. He also vowed to oppose any candidate who does not support President Tinubu.”We have the FCT Area Council election coming up on February 21, and I have a responsibility to support any candidate who is aligned with President Tinubu’s vision,” Wike stated.
He further remarked, “It is also my duty to ensure that any candidate not supporting Tinubu does not emerge victorious, and I make no apologies for my stance.”The 2026 FCT Area Council elections will take place on Saturday, February 21, with a voting set to begin at 8:00 AM across designated polling units.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), approximately 1.68 million registered voters are eligible to participate.Voters will elect chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and 62 councillors across the FCT’s six area councils. The elections will also include 68 constituencies. INEC has confirmed the deployment of its IReV portal to facilitate real-time viewing of election results, enhancing transparency.
Major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC), have fielded candidates for the elections.
For security, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has announced the deployment of about 4,000 personnel across the FCT to maintain order throughout the electoral process.In a related development, a Federal High Court has ruled to bar the Labour Party from participating in the elections, citing nomination irregularities and effectively removing the party from the race.
