The All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded an early lead in several polling units during Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections, amid widespread voter apathy.
Results uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Results Viewing Portal (IReV) showed the APC ahead in multiple council areas as collation progressed late into the night.
As of 10:15 p.m., figures from surveyed polling units in Kwali Area Council indicated the APC had secured 2,726 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) garnered 2,104 votes and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) polled 180 votes.
In Kuje Area Council, the APC led with 615 votes, followed by the PDP with 393. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 146 votes, ADC 24, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) recorded five votes.
Within Abuja Municipal Area Council, the APC posted 2,520 votes, ADC secured 750, and the PDP trailed with 115 votes.
However, in Gwagwalada, the PDP took the lead with 2,019 votes, ahead of the APC’s 1,779, while the ADC polled 115 votes.
The elections, conducted to fill six chairmanship and 62 councillorship seats across AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji and Kwali, were largely peaceful but characterised by low voter turnout.
Several polling units recorded single-digit or double-digit votes despite having hundreds of registered voters. At Polling Unit 006 in the City Centre Registration Area of AMAC, only seven voters had cast ballots as of 9:50 a.m. Similarly, at Kubwa Polling Unit 053, just 23 of 464 registered voters were accredited.
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room attributed the low turnout to voter apathy, noting that many residents in parts of AMAC were seen carrying on with their daily routines during voting hours.
Its Co-Convenor, Celestine Odo, observed that although queues formed later in Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Abaji, participation remained generally low.
Yiaga Africa also reported poor voter participation across most polling units, despite a largely calm environment. Its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, cited late commencement of voting and missing materials as administrative lapses that affected the credibility of the exercise.
Reports of vote buying also surfaced, particularly in parts of AMAC. The Situation Room alleged that votes were traded for as much as N10,000 in some polling units in Gidan Mangoro ward.
Operational challenges were noted in some centres. At Durumi I, voting reportedly began around 11:00 a.m. due to the late arrival of officials, while in Durumi II, some voters protested the omission of their names from the register. Yiaga Africa further highlighted confusion arising from the redistribution of voters to newly created polling units without adequate prior notice.
As of 9:30 p.m., INEC had uploaded 1,030 results from 1,401 polling units in AMAC; 119 of 201 units in Kwali; 147 of 262 in Kuje; 227 of 338 in Gwagwalada; 280 of 485 in Bwari; and 72 of 135 in Abaji.
**ADC, Wike Trade Words**
The ADC criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for visiting polling units during voting, describing his presence as “direct interference” capable of intimidating voters.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that the minister’s movement around polling centres, particularly after what it described as a curfew restricting voter movement, amounted to interference. It also claimed collaboration between APC agents and some security personnel in parts of the capital.
Reacting, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, dismissed the allegations, insisting that the minister acted within his constitutional responsibilities as chief security officer of the FCT.
Olayinka maintained that Wike did not breach any law by monitoring the elections, arguing that other political figures were also seen moving around polling units without criticism.
As collation continued, results on the IReV portal showed the APC maintaining strong performances in parts of AMAC, including Garki and Kpegyi polling units, consolidating its early advantage in the chairmanship race, while the PDP and ADC recorded wins in selected areas, underscoring a competitive contest across councils.
Advertisement
