AMAC Area Council Election Peaceful Despite Low Turnout — Nyesom Wike

By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has described voting in the Abuja Municipal Area Council during Saturday’s Area Council elections as largely peaceful, though early observations showed low voter turnout in parts of the city.

Speaking after visiting polling units, Wike said the process was orderly, with no incidents of violence or destruction of electoral materials.

“Everywhere is peaceful. The only issue observed is low voter turnout, particularly within the city, which has often been the case. However, turnout in some satellite towns is quite impressive,” he said.

He noted minor protests at one polling unit but emphasised that these did not disrupt overall voting.

Security Praised
Wike commended security agencies for maintaining calm, highlighting that there were no reports of violence, unlike previous elections.

“The election is peaceful, which means security has done very well,” he stated.

BVAS and Result Transmission
Addressing concerns about the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), Wike said assessments of result transmission would follow the conclusion of counting.

“So far, the use of BVAS appears smooth. We will continue to monitor and comment based on what we observe,” he said.

Clarifying Movement Restrictions
Responding to criticism over alleged curfew measures, Wike clarified that the 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. movement restriction was approved by President Bola Tinubu and aligns with standard election security protocols.

“It was not a curfew. People should read statements carefully before reacting,” he said.

Call for Calm During Collation
As voting closed at 2:30 p.m. and collation began, Wike urged residents to maintain peace during the sensitive post-voting period.

“The same orderliness shown during voting should continue during collation. That is often the sensitive period when tensions may rise,” he said, appealing to all stakeholders to let the process conclude without disruption.