Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday protested at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, accusing defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of hijacking the party structure.
The protesters, who said they are founding members of the party in the territory, carried placards with inscriptions such as: “We don’t want Aduda, we don’t want PDP members”, and “Stop PDP agents from hijacking APC FCT election”.
They alleged that loyalists of Nyesom Wike, minister of the FCT, have taken over APC structures across the six area councils, to impose preferred candidates ahead of the February 2026 council elections.
They also claimed that the entire party machinery in AMAC and Bwari — two councils won by the PDP in 2022 — has been seized by recent defectors.
Mallam Idris Jibril, spokesman of the protesting group, said APC founding members who worked for the party’s growth in the FCT have been sidelined by newcomers.
He specifically mentioned Senator Philip Aduda, a former PDP lawmaker and known Wike ally, accusing him of trying to control the APC from behind the scenes without officially joining the party.
The protesters called for the disqualification of Danjuma Samuel Shekwolo, an aspirant for the Kuje Area Council chairmanship, and Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, the current chairman of AMAC.
They accused both men of violating the APC constitution, which mandates a minimum of three membership before contesting any elective position.
The group, operating under the banner of the APC Consolidation Group, submitted a petition to Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, national chairman of the party, and copied members of the National Working Committee, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), among others.
In the petition, the group said: “We write as loyal, concerned, and committed stakeholders of our great party, the APC, under the banner of the APC Consolidation Group.
“This petition is borne out of deep concern over the dangerous infiltration of the FCT APC by individuals who neither reflect the values of the party nor meet the constitutional requirements for nomination, yet are being positioned as candidates in a brazen attempt to hijack our internal processes.”
The group claimed that Shekwolo participated in the PDP zonal convention on May 24, 2025, and obtained APC nomination forms less than 48 hours later.
On Maikalangu, they said: “His sudden entry into our party is strategically calculated and violates both the spirit and the letter of our constitution.”
On Aduda’s alleged influence, the petitioners said: “We further bring to your attention the alleged and troubling activities of former PDP Senate Minority Whip, Senator Philip Aduda, who has not only refused to publicly align with the APC but is actively working behind the scenes to install his loyalists in strategic Area Councils under our party.
“Information reaching us indicates that Senator Aduda is leveraging the name of the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to intimidate party executives and force the imposition of these aspirants.”
“We want to categorically state that the minister has not publicly endorsed any candidate, and therefore, Aduda’s actions amount to blackmail, manipulation, and an abuse of political privilege.”