The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the uploading of results from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council chairmanship elections to its Result Viewing (IReV) portal. The elections, held on Saturday, saw a total of 68 seats contested, comprising six chairmanship positions and 62 councillor seats. As of approximately 7:35 PM on election day, results were actively being reflected from various polling units across the councils. Specifically, in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), 847 out of 1401 polling units had their results uploaded. Kwali had 75 of 201 results, Kuje 115 of 262, Gwagwalada 204 of 338, Bwari 255 of 485, and Abaji 42 of 135 results available on the portal.

Early reports from specific polling units indicated an initial lead for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the chairmanship votes within the Bwari Area Council. At the LEA Primary School, Kubwa II, the ADC secured a combined total of 67 votes from four polling units, surpassing the All Progressives Congress (APC) with 40 votes, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) with 21 votes, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with 20 votes. However, voter turnout at this center was notably low, with only 181 out of 4,063 registered voters casting their ballots. Detailed results from individual units showed varied performances: in Unit 044, ADC led with 20 votes; in Unit 045, APC had 11 votes while ADC had 13; Unit 047 saw ADC with 15 votes; and Unit 006 had APC with 20 votes and ADC with 19 votes.

Despite a generally peaceful atmosphere, the FCT Area Council elections were significantly marred by low voter turnout, which observers noted was arguably the lowest in recent years. This issue was compounded by logistical challenges, late opening of polling units, and administrative lapses. Yiaga Africa, a civil society organisation, reported that in many observed polling units, particularly in AMAC (Wuse and Gwarinpa wards), accreditation and voting did not commence until around 10:00 AM, significantly behind schedule. Issues such as missing voter registers (e.g., Polling Unit 004, Wuse Ward), absence of voting cubicles and ink pads in some Abaji Area Council units, and significant disparities in voter distribution were also documented.

A major cause of confusion stemmed from the redistribution of voters to newly created polling units without adequate and timely notification. While INEC attempted to inform voters via SMS, many messages were delivered on election day, sometimes hours after polling had begun, leading to voters spending considerable time attempting to locate their designated units. This administrative shortcoming contributed to congestion and potentially discouraged participation. Furthermore, some polling units reportedly closed before the official 2:30 PM closing time, contrary to electoral guidelines.

The elections also faced allegations of irregularities, including vote buying. Instances were reported at Polling Unit 024 near Water Board junction in Byazhin, Kubwa, where voters were allegedly offered ₦2000 per vote. Yiaga Africa described vote buying as a “persistent menace” despite assurances from INEC and security agencies. On the security front, heavy deployment in certain areas sometimes impeded the movement of accredited observers and restricted voter access to polling units.

Adding to the pre-election discourse, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, defended the imposition of movement restrictions (a form of curfew) from Friday 8 PM to Saturday 6 PM, stating it was done with the approval of President Bola Tinubu. This came after he declared Friday a work-free day to facilitate preparations. Wike dismissed criticism from Senator Ireti Kingibe, who had condemned the restrictions as undemocratic and lacking consultation, asserting that he did not wish to “join issues” with her. He praised the orderly conduct of voters, INEC officials, and security agencies, noting that no violence had been recorded.

In light of their findings, Yiaga Africa provided several recommendations. They urged INEC to ensure the posting of Form EC60E (People’s Results Sheet) at polling units and the prompt uploading of all polling unit results (Form EC8A) to the IReV portal using BVAS devices. They also called for collation and declaration of results to be conducted with the highest standards of integrity and transparency. For future elections, Yiaga Africa recommended a comprehensive nationwide public engagement campaign to clearly communicate voter redeployment and provide timely voter education. Security agencies were advised to maintain professionalism and impartiality, while political parties, candidates, and supporters were urged to refrain from disrupting the electoral process.