Wike declares support for APC candidate ahead of FCT council polls
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has his support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairmanship seat in the February 2026 council polls, Christopher Maikalangu.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, had last week, authorised the commencement of campaigns ahead of the area council elections.
However, in a statement by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, INEC said the campaigns will begin on the 24th of September, 2025, and end at midnight on the 19th of February, 2026.
Maikalangu, chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council had clinched the APC ticket ahead of the 2026 council elections, after securing 51 votes to emerge winner of the primary election held on June 26, 2025, in Abuja.
Wike, while speaking during the flag off of road projects linking Tunga Madaki and eight other communities to the airport on Monday, noted that Maikalangu had pressed on him to remind the President to compensate the residents for the second runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
He urged the people to support the candidate, and ensure the candidate would be part of the project commissioning in June 2026.
“Now that INEC has said area councils can go and campaign, now that INEC has said they can go and campaign officially, you all know where we’re heading to.
“Now let me say, remember, you have had area council chairman before, no be so? Did anybody remember Tunga Madaki settlement?
“So, my dear people of Tunga Madaki, I have handed over Mailakangu to you. So that, when the election will be held in February, by June, Mr. President will be here to inaugurate this road, and then we will all dance, and dance, and then Mr. Maikalangu will come and do the needful after the election in February 2026,” he stated.
Wike said President Bola Tinubu had directed full compensation to be paid to the communities ahead of the road construction project, noting that the communities had requested that their settlements be linked with roads, a request the Tinubu administration had now granted.
“One of the things that the communities asked for, was that they have to be connected, they have to be linked up with roads. It is quite unfair that they are releasing their land for a second runway, but yet they have no access to even go to the airport. It does not make sense.
“Of course, you know that because Aviation also has to do with security, I had to take this matter to Mr. President, and Mr. President said, whatever the settlement ask for, give it to them.
Today, the 29th of September 2025, we are here to the glory of God and to fulfill the promise made by Mr. President to the people of Tunga Madaki settlement.
“Today we are attending to you. What does it show? It shows you the government of Mr. President is a listening government. It’s a government that cares for the people. It’s a government that made promise and fulfilled the promise made.
“You can imagine what will happen by next year, June, when this road will be completed. You can imagine what development will look like here. I therefore, on behalf of Mr. President, congratulate you for what you have achieved for about nine communities that this road is linked to,” the Minister said.
Source: PUNCH
