With less than 48 hours to the February 21 Area Council elections in Abuja, unfolding political alignments have significantly reshaped the contest, with the growing influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, taking centre stage.

In a dramatic turn, two chairmanship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stepped down in separate councils to endorse candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

These moves are widely seen as consolidating Wike’s political leverage in the territory despite his PDP affiliation.

In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), PDP candidate Hon. Zadna Dantani formally withdrew from the race and threw his weight behind the incumbent APC candidate, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.

Dantani said his decision followed extensive consultations with party stakeholders and Wike, whom he described as the PDP’s leader in the FCT.

He confirmed submitting a formal letter of withdrawal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), maintaining that his decision was voluntary and reached after careful consideration.

He subsequently directed his supporters across AMAC’s 12 wards to mobilise for the APC candidate, citing the need for unity and alignment with ongoing development initiatives in the FCT.

A similar development unfolded in Bwari Area Council, where PDP chairmanship candidate Julius Adamu stepped aside in favour of the APC flagbearer, Joshua Ishaku Musa.

Adamu disclosed that his decision followed “deep consultations” with Wike and other stakeholders, adding that the move was taken in the interest of unity and sustained development.

Addressing supporters, Adamu described Musa as “a brother,” urging party faithful to prioritise collective progress over partisan rivalry and to ensure the APC candidate’s victory at the polls.

The twin withdrawals underscore Wike’s expanding political footprint in the FCT. Since assuming office as minister, he has cultivated cross-party alliances, a strategy that appears to be reshaping traditional partisan alignments in the territory.

His open endorsement of APC candidates, particularly at a recent political gathering in Bwari, where he linked electoral support to accelerated infrastructural development, further highlights his decisive role in the unfolding realignments.

The last-minute endorsements could substantially influence voting patterns across the six area councils of the FCT.

While the moves may strengthen the APC’s prospects in key councils, they are also likely to deepen internal strains within the PDP as the opposition grapples with questions over cohesion and leadership direction.

As campaigns wind down, the focus now turns to the electorate and whether Wike’s strategic interventions and cross-party endorsements will ultimately translate into electoral gains for the ruling party in the nation’s capital.