Low Turnout and Late Openings in FCT Area Elections

Yiaga Africa, through its Executive Director Samson Itodo, reported low voter turnout and late openings during the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The elections involved chairmanship positions across six area councils and 62 councillorship seats.

Yiaga Africa deployed trained observers to monitor the electoral process, noting that polling units in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, including Wuse and Gwarinpa, opened later than scheduled. Specifically, while polling was supposed to start at 9:00 AM, it began around 10:00 AM due to logistical challenges, including the late arrival of essential materials.

The organization raised concerns about the redistribution of voters to newly created polling units without adequate notification, which led to confusion and prolonged searches for polling locations. Despite the challenges, Yiaga Africa emphasized the need for INEC to extend voting times to prevent disenfranchisement and called for transparency in the electoral process.