Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, on Thursday took his grassroots campaign to Gwagwalada, charging residents to use Saturday’s Area Council election to reject bad leadership and demand real development.
Addressing a crowd of supporters, Adebayo declared that the time had come for satellite towns to rise against years of neglect, insisting that meaningful national growth must start from the grassroots.
He recalled that the Federal Capital Territory was created in 1976 under former Head of State, Murtala Muhammed, to guarantee equal access to infrastructure and opportunity for all Nigerians.
“But today, you see the difference between Asokoro and Maitama, and communities like Gwagwalada. That is not the dream of the FCT,” he said.
He listed epileptic power supply, lack of clean water, bad roads, poorly equipped schools and insecurity as major headaches for residents, stressing that local government leadership must be people-focused and policy-driven.
Adebayo warned voters against selling their votes or choosing leaders based on ethnicity or religion, urging them instead to back candidates with competence and integrity.
The SDP chairmanship candidate in Gwagwalada, Khalid Bala-Gano, expressed confidence of victory, describing the rally as the climax of weeks of door-to-door engagement and issue-based campaigns.
He promised transparent leadership, improved primary healthcare, better schools, enhanced security and infrastructure development across the wards.
“Saturday is about choosing accountability over excuses,” Bala-Gano said, urging residents to turn out peacefully and vote.
The election will determine chairmen and councillors across the six Area Councils of the FCT, in what observers say is a crucial grassroots test ahead of 2027.
FCT Area Council Poll: Adebayo Storms Gwagwalada, Slams Neglect, Urges Voters to Shun Money Politics
