FCT polls: Mixed turnout, logistics failure shape early election hours

2026-02-21 - 11:05

By Omeiza Ajayi Significant delays and inconsistent voter turnout characterised the early hours of the Area Council elections across the Federal Capital Territory FCT on Saturday, as late arrivals of polling officials and materials left many voters frustrated. While some areas saw a smooth start to the process, others were plagued by administrative bottlenecks well into the morning. The situation was particularly dire in Apo and Lugbe, where the promised 8:30am start time was missed by over an hour. At the Federal Government Boys College, Apo, voting had yet to commence as of 9:34 am due to the late arrival of officials. Similarly, at Polling Units 064 and 008 in ‘Lugbe Across’, voters, party agents and observers who had gathered as early as 7am were left waiting until 9:37am for INEC ad-hoc staff and materials to arrive. Voting in unit 008 finally began at 10:20 am, with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS reported to be working perfectly once active. In Nyanya, the majority of polling units had not recorded a single vote by 9:47 am. The delay extended to Karu, where, by 10am, only ad-hoc staff were present at Units 027, 001, 020, and 018 at the LEA Primary School, with the actual election process stalled. Voter turnout remained a tale of two cities. Urban centres and specific landmarks such as the Old Parade Ground, UTC Junction, and Plateau Street in Area 2 recorded significantly low participation. At Angwa Mango (PU 042) in Kabusa, INEC officials were seen capturing voters amid visible signs of voter apathy. Conversely, a large turnout was observed at LEA Primary School, Kurudu, where materials arrived by 8am and voting commenced promptly at 8:30am. Success was also noted at Army Estate Phase One, where the process was described as moving smoothly without hitches. However, even where turnout was high, technical and clerical errors caused friction. At PU 022 in LEA Durumi 1, voters, including a certain Emmanuel and several others, expressed frustration over missing names on the register, specifically affecting those whose surnames began with the letters C through E and the letter I. They alleged manipulation which they said was targeted at a particular ethnic group.