There was low voter turnout in several polling units across Lugbe, under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), as residents stayed away from the FCT Area Council elections.
In some polling units, election officials and security personnel outnumbered voters.
At Polling Unit 007, only a handful of residents were seen at the site at the time of filing this report.
According to an election official, more than 8,000 voters were registered at Polling Unit 007, a figure that contrasts with the turnout recorded so far.
Despite the number of registered voters, there was no queue at the accreditation desk, and officials were idle due to the absence of voters.
A similar scene occurred at the Penthouse Polling Unit in Lugbe, where security personnel were present, but no voters were seen at the time of filing this report.
Voting across several polling units in AMAC, Karu and Nyanya was marked by low turnout and delayed commencement on Saturday, as logistical setbacks and the late arrival of officials slowed the start of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.
In Lugbe, under AMAC, turnout was low in the early hours, with security personnel and election officials outnumbering voters at several polling units visited. At Polling Unit 007, where more than 8,000 voters are registered, only a handful of residents were present as of the time of filing this report. There were no queues at the accreditation desk, and officials were idle.
A similar scenario occurred at the Penthouse Polling Unit in Lugbe, where security operatives were stationed, but no voters were seen during the morning hours.
At Polling Unit 012 in Alaiyta, voting had not commenced as of 9:30 a.m. due to the absence of officials and materials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Security personnel and party observers, including representatives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), were present alongside residents who arrived early to vote, but ballot papers and accreditation materials had not been delivered.
Solomon A.K., an ADC supervisor deployed from Abuja city centre, described the FCT poll as a test of credibility for INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said the management of off-cycle and area council elections would shape public confidence in the electoral body.
Some voters said the delays and lack of communication could discourage participation. Benjamin Bala, a resident of Alaiyta, said she arrived early to vote but met the absence of officials and information. INEC officials arrived at about 10:20 a.m., with voting commencing around 11:15 a.m., although turnout remained low.
At Polling Unit 106, LEA Primary School, Chika, Abuja, officials arrived after 10:15 a.m., by which time some early voters had left after waiting without clarity on when voting would begin.
In Karu and Nyanya, the exercise began slowly. As of 8:30 a.m., several polling units were still being set up. At a polling unit near the Karu Chief Palace, residents expressed frustration over the absence of INEC officials hours after the scheduled commencement time. Lucky Oskar, who arrived before 8:00 a.m., said only a security officer was present as of 9:00 a.m., while about 20 voters waited.
In Nyanya, a presiding officer, Muslim Abraham, said officials were still setting up as of 8:30 a.m., citing logistical challenges. At the Nngwar Ginar Health Care polling unit in Karu, another presiding officer, Sameeah, said the delay was due to a lack of furniture, noting that officials had to source tables and chairs before operations could commence.
Turnout remained low even where voting began. At Polling Unit 073 in the city centre, only five of the 93 registered voters had cast their ballots as of 12 noon.
Across the affected areas, the early hours of the FCT Area Council polls were marked by low voter participation and delays, developments that could affect public perception of INEC’s preparedness as attention shifts to the 2027 general elections.
