Early Results Show APC Leading in FCT Council Polls

By : Julian Osamoto

According to results uploaded to the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the ruling All Progressives Congress APC recorded an early lead in parts of the Federal Capital Territory area council elections on Saturday.

As of 10:15pm, figures from surveyed polling units in Kwali Local Government Area showed the APC polled 2,726 votes, followed by the Peoples Democratic Party with 2,104 votes and the African Democratic Congress with 180.

 

In Kuje Area Council, the APC had 615 votes, ahead of the PDP’s 393, APGA polled 146 votes, ADC 24 votes and NNPP five votes.

 

In Abuja Municipal Area Council AMAC, the APC recorded 2,520 votes, ADC 750 votes and PDP 115 votes, while in Gwagwalada the PDP led with 2,019 votes against APC’s 1,779, with ADC scoring 115.

The elections were held to fill six chairmanship and 62 councilorship seats.

 

Analysis of elections

Despite the early results, the polls were marked by widespread voter apathy across AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji and Kwali.

Some polling units recorded single-digit or double-digit turnout out of hundreds of registered voters.

At Polling Unit 006 in the City Centre Registration Area, only seven voters had cast ballots by 9:50am. At Kubwa Polling Unit 053, just 23 of 464 registered voters were accredited.

During the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room mid day briefing with journalists in Abuja, said residents in parts of AMAC were seen going about normal activities during voting hours.

Its Co-Convenor, Celestine Odo, said queues formed later in Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Abaji but participation remained generally low.

Yiaga Africa also reported poor turnout despite a peaceful atmosphere. Its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, said late commencement of voting and missing materials undermined the process.

Democracy Radio reporters who also observed the voting process reported vote buying in parts of AMAC, Gwagwalada; this was corroborated by other CSOs with allegations that ballots were traded for up to N10,000 in some polling units in Gidan Mangoro ward.

“Vote buying was observed in many polling units visited. In some places, it was openly done,” Odo said.

Operational issues were also noted. Voting at Durumi I began around 11:00am due to late arrival of officials, while voters at Durumi II protested the omission of their names from the register.

Yiaga Africa also cited confusion caused by the redistribution of voters to newly created polling units without adequate notice.

As collation continued, uploaded results showed APC strong performances in parts of AMAC, including Garki and Kpegyi polling units.

The ADC also secured wins in some polling units, while the PDP recorded dominant margins in select centres in Bwari, pointing to a competitive race.

INEC gave assurance of its continued uploading of results to its portal. As of 9:30pm, 1,030 results had been uploaded from 1,401 polling units in AMAC, 119 of 201 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 accusations

Meanwhile, the ADC has criticised conduct of the election and accused the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, of interfering by visiting polling units during voting.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party describes the minister’s presence as “direct interference” capable of intimidating voters and alleged collaboration between APC agents and some security personnel.

Responding, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, to the FCT minister, Lere Olayinka, dismissed the allegation, saying Wike was acting within his rights as chief security officer of the territory to monitor the elections and had breached no law.