Voters in parts of the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday cited welfare, healthcare, and basic services as key reasons for participating in the ongoing area council elections.
At Tukpechi Primary Healthcare polling unit in Kuje, Danladi Musa, a primary school teacher, said he came out to vote for a candidate he believes will address the backlog of unpaid salaries owed to teachers.
Musa, who teaches in a Local Education Authority school, said he had been owed arrears for over a year and hopes the election will produce leaders willing to prioritise workers’ welfare.
“I want a leader who will help pay my arrears, someone who will give us what we are entitled to. That is why I came out to vote,” he said.
At the same polling unit, a pregnant voter, Atamache Dauda, said her decision to vote was driven by the need for improved healthcare services in her community.
She explained that her preferred candidate had promised better water supply, more medical personnel, and job opportunities for local youths and women.
BusinessDay reports that the voters’ concerns highlight how bread-and-butter issues are shaping choices at the grassroots level in the FCT elections.
Meanwhile, officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission were seen monitoring the voting process in Area 2, Garki, within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, as part of efforts to ensure transparency and deter electoral malpractice.
