FCT Polls Dress Rehearsals For 2027 — APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that last Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Area Council election is a dress (final) rehearsal for the 2027 general election.

APC candidates won five out of the six chairmanship seats in the FCT at Area Council election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking at the post mortem meeting of APC Situation Room
and National Campaign Council for FCT Area Councils election in Abuja, national chairman of the party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda said the outcome of the polls also validate the impact of President Bola Tinubu’ Renewed Hope Agenda.

Yilwatda said the party’s overwhelming performance in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, the most cosmopolitan parts of the nation’s capital is a clear statement that APC enjoys legitimacy among Nigerians of diverse backgrounds.

“I am happy because four days ago, one of the leaders of the Coalition made a prophesy that anybody that wins AMAC because it is the most cosmopolitan community in the FCT, the person has won the election in 2027.

“We see this election as a dress rehearsal of the 2027 and the prophecy made by the opposition was fulfilled on Saturday. Therefore, I thank the opposition for the prophecy, I thank them for believing that we can win the election and we demonstrated the capacity of our party that we can win.

“While they were on TV, social media, we were with the people not just in words but in actions. The Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President is people oriented…we have programmes that support the weakest people in the society and that is our target and that is why we are seeing the kind of support we are having across the country.

“The entire country is behind us and I want to thank and assure Nigerians that the next one and half year thereabout that we still have to run the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, we will not disappoint the people of Nigeria. We will do much more than what we have done before.

“I want to urge the elected chairmen under the platform of the APC to implement the Renewed Hope Agenda so that by 2027 we will have your projects as our campaign sign posts. Have friendly relationship with the councillors to ensure nothing delays delivery of the Renewed Hope Agenda programmes in your own councils,” he stated.

On his part, chairman of the FCT APC campaign council and governor of Kwara state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, attributed the party’s performance to leadership provided by President Tinubu and national chairman, Yilwatda.

He stated that the party would review the electoral documents for Gwagwalada Area council where APC lot the chairmanship with a view to reclaiming the seat.

“We thank Mr President for showing leadership, showing direction for the party, he is leading us in the right direction and his policies have led to what we achieved today.
The people of Abuja have embraced his policies and they have turned out to vote for our party.

“I also congratulate the candidates who have become elected chairmen of the various councils. Gwagwalada, we will keep looking at the electoral documents to see if the chances are there to reclaim the seat for you through the legal processes.

“My advice to the chairmen is to hit the ground running. The policy framework is there, your responsiveness to the people matters, especially in AMAC where we witnessed huge turnout and we will rely on you to implement the party policies in AMAC and all the other Area Councils,” he added.

Secretary of the council and
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu said the achievements of the present administration through the Renewed Hope Agenda, endeared APC to people of FCT.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda was embraced by FCT under the administration of the Minister, the impact is felt everywhere. That became a campaign tool for this committee where I serve as the Secretary because people could see visibly what we’re trying to preach in the last two years plus. It made our job easier when we engaged.

“I want to thank the party for setting up a serious minded campaign committee who has not slept for days… it has produced what we are celebrating today. Ordinarily the ruling party will say we are the ruling party let’s take it easy at the end of the day, it is what it is but Mr President insisted that the right thing must be done,”he added.