FCT Council Election Peaceful, Flawed by Late Polls, Low Turnout- Yiaga Africa

By Julian Osamoto

Civil society group Yiaga Africa,  says low turnout, delayed poll openings and vote-buying undermined voter access and confidence at the FCT Area Council Election

In a preliminary report released under its Watching the Vote (WTV) project, Yiaga Africa said the elections were conducted in a largely peaceful atmosphere, but peace alone was not enough to guarantee electoral integrity.

The organisation says it  deployed trained and accredited roving observers across all 62 wards of the FCT from 7:30 a.m. to monitor voting, accreditation, counting and compliance with electoral guidelines.

Yiaga Africa also noted that while voters who reached polling units were generally able to vote without disruption, turnout across most locations remained poor, worsened by logistical failures that slowed the process and discouraged participation.

Late Voting Commencement

Observers reported that voting started late in many polling units, especially in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, where officials were still setting up well after the official opening time. Accreditation and voting began around 10:00 a.m. on average, according to the group.

In parts of Wuse and Gwarinpa, election materials arrived late, while some polling units lacked basic items such as voter registers, voting cubicles and ink pads. At one polling unit in Wuse Ward, the voter register reportedly surfaced only after voters and observers protested.

Polling unit changes

Yiaga Africa said poor communication by the electoral body compounded voter frustration, particularly where voters were reassigned to newly created polling units without sufficient notice.

Although SMS alerts were sent, many arrived on Election Day or after voting had already begun. Observers said some voters spent over an hour searching for their new polling units, creating congestion and, in some cases, forcing voters to abandon the process altogether.

The group warned that uneven voter distribution across polling units exposed weaknesses in the planning and execution of polling unit expansion.

Reports of Early closures, vote-buying

Yiaga Africa also reported that some polling units closed before the official 2:30 p.m. deadline, contrary to electoral guidelines, even when eligible voters were still expected.

While security presence was heavy in several locations, the group said it sometimes restricted access for observers and voters. It also documented incidents of vote-buying, despite prior assurances by election officials and security agencies that the practice would be curtailed.

Focus shifts to collation

As results collation begins, Yiaga Africa said its observers would closely monitor ward and area council collation centres and track uploads to the result viewing portal.

The organisation urged election officials to publicly display polling unit results and ensure proper transmission, warning that transparency at this stage would be critical to public trust.

Yiaga Africa said it would issue a follow-up statement after collation, maintaining that credible elections require not just calm voting but efficient administration, transparency and equal access for voters.