FCT Area Council election begins

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Area Council election took off on a slow start on Saturday as electoral officers were still trying to set up their tables and devices for voting in most polling units visited as at 8:00 am.

For example in polling unit 013, Kuje Central Ward in Kuje Local Government, though officials of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC have arrived they were still trying to setup as at 8:06 am.

INEC officials have also arrived at Chief Palace Polling unit, Dawaki in Bwari LGA as at 7:53 am and were trying to set up for the process of voting to begin.

Also, electoral officials were on ground trying to set up as at 7:54 am in Cornershop polling unit, Garki Ward 2, Prince and Princess Estate of Abuja Municipal.

As at 8:10 am, there were no electoral officials on ground in a polling unit situated inside Gidan Mongoro Primary School, Gidan Mangoro ward of AMAC.

The few security operatives deployed to the polling unit were seen hanging around while the entrance to the primary school was locked.

However, while INEC officials were on ground as at 7:46 AM at polling unit 003 located inside Abaji East Primary School, Nuku/Sabon Hari ward of Abaji LGA party agents stopped them from setting up for the election.

The party agents claimed that the INEC officials had gone somewhere different before arriving here. But the security operatives intervened to calm the situation.

The situation is not different in other polling units visited early Saturday.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, had assured residents of FCT of that the area council election will be peaceful, transparent and credible.

Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said over 1.6 million registered voters will vote across 2,822 polling units, with 570 candidates contesting 68 seats.

He emphasized that elections are a shared responsibility and warned that INEC has no preferred candidate.

He noted that BVAS will be deployed in all polling units, with results uploaded to IReV.

He also said INEC has accredited 89 observer groups and 700 journalists to monitor the process.

Amupitan also said security agencies including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) will be on ground to curb vote buying and ensure safety.