Gwagwalada’s political arena has entered a highly charged phase as the chairmanship election approaches, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) firing back at the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Hon. Usman Yahaya. On Sunday, September 7, the PDP media team released a detailed rejoinder, rejecting what it described as “misleading propaganda” by Hon Usman Yahaya’s campaign team, which had been portraying him as the most competent and experienced choice for the council.
In its statement, PDP argued that competence should not be measured solely through by the number of years a candidate has spent in public office, but by tangible, measurable impacts on the lives of ordinary people.
“Competence and commitment are not measured by occupying offices for years without direct impact, but by how many lives you have touched, how many youths you have lifted, and how many women and families you have empowered,” the party said.
The statement positioned PDP candidate Hon. Comr. Kasim Mohammed as a “leader of action,” highlighting his record of scholarship programs, youth empowerment initiatives, and consistent support for women and less privileged communities across Gwagwalada. According to PDP, Kasim embodies “fresh energy, people-driven ideas, and a clear vision to uplift communities,” contrasting him with Yahaya, who the party argues is a “leader of titles,” whose long tenure in office has not yielded comparable grassroots impact.
This rejoinder comes amid a series of controversies that have cast a shadow over the Gwagwalada political landscape. Earlier today, the PDP chairman admitted instructing party media operatives not to criticize outgoing chairman Abu Giri, despite growing public discontent over his administration’s unfulfilled promises. Chronicles Reporters had earlier uncovered a secret PDP meeting allegedly aimed at orchestrating a political arrangement involving former senator Philip Aduda, and also again Hon. Usman Yahaya accused Bayani the Kwali Local Government chairman on backing the PDP in the chairmanship race with the understanding that he would later decamp to APC, consolidating political influence for a future House of Representatives and senatorial bid. Insiders described the plan as “dangerous and wicked,” further intensifying questions about backroom deals and elite maneuvering within the ruling party.
APC, on the other hand, has consistently defended Yahaya’s long tenure in public office as a measure of capacity and readiness to lead, dismissing PDP’s criticisms as an attempt to undermine his administrative track record. Yahaya has also urged residents to prioritize competence over ethnic or local considerations, highlighting his nine-year service as secretary of the Gwagwalada Area Council.
With PDP now emphasizing visible community impact and APC stressing experience and capacity, voters are presented with sharply contrasting narratives. Residents are being asked to weigh grassroots empowerment, scholarships, youth and women support, and direct community engagement against long administrative experience and political continuity.
As the chairmanship race intensifies, the central question for Gwagwalada’s electorate becomes clear: will they choose a leader defined by tangible service and grassroots transformation, as PDP advocates, or will experience and administrative titles, as promoted by APC, remain the decisive factors?
In a political climate thick with secrecy, alleged elite deals, and media battles, the 2026 Gwagwalada chairmanship election is shaping up to be more than a contest of parties, it is emerging as a referendum on leadership, accountability, and the real meaning of competence in local governance.