The African Democratic Congress (ADC), yesterday accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike of interfering in the Area Council elections in the territory, even as the election was marred by poor turnout.

ADC, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, condemned the minister’s movement around various polling units in Abuja under the guise of monitoring the elections. The party recalled that Wike unilaterally imposed a curfew on potential voters, and said such represents direct interference in the election.

“He is not a registered voter in the FCT, and as a known partisan and cabinet minister, Wike has no constitutional role in the election exercise. “His presence during active voting is therefore not only vexatious and meddlesome, but also risks intimidating voters and officials,” ADC stated.

The party said it has received reports of voter suppression and intimidation in parts of the FCT, including alleged collaboration between the agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some security personnel. “We also note disruptions to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), which has remained inaccessible even as results are being collated.

We find this a curious coincidence and call on INEC to urgently restore full IReV functionality, with a clear public explanation of the disruption,” ADC demanded. It however urged its agents and voters to remain calm but vigilant, and to document all incidents.

Tinubu approved movement restrictions – Wike

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike yesterday said he didn’t impose any restrictions of movement on his own, but only implemented what President Bola Tinubu approved. Recall that there had been a huge public outcry over the Minister’s announcement of movement restrictions in Abuja, between Friday 8pm and Saturday 6pm for the Area Council polls.

The Minister, who visited some of the polling stations in some of the Area councils, clarified that he only implemented what the President approved. On the polls, the Minister decried the refusal of Abuja’s residents in coming out to exercise their civic duty and elect their representatives at the Area Councils.

Wike, after monitoring the elections at different communities in some of the Councils confirmed that there was voter apathy at the city centres, as residents stayed away from polling stations. He said: “It is unfortunate. I never imposed a curfew.

In my statement, I said with the approval of Mr. President that there would be a restriction of movement from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. This is not the first time such a measure has been taken during elections. “I clearly stated that it was with the approval of Mr. President.

People should take time to read statements properly and understand what was said before reacting. I do not want to join issues. At the end of the election, when the results come out, we will all know”.

He added: “The only issue we have observed is low voter turnout, particularly within the city, and that has always been the case. However, when you go to some of the satellite towns, the turnout is quite impressive.

“At this polling unit, you can see some protests, just as I was coming in. But what is important is that the election is peaceful — no violence, no destruction of ballot papers or ballot boxes”.

Heavy security presence in Karu District ABUJA

There was low voter turnout yesterday at the polling units within the Central Bank of Nigeria Staff Quarters in Karu district of the Federal Capital Territory, during the ongoing Area Councils elections.

This was even as there was a heavy security presence within the polling units, who were deployed by the FCT Police Command to ensure law and order and peaceful conduct of the polls. When Sunday Telegraph visited the polling units 1 and 2 at the CBN Quarters Junction, Karu, between 9:40 am and 10:30 am, it was observed that most of the nearly 1,500 registered voters had not arrived at the units to cast their votes.

The Assistant Presiding Officer at Polling Unit 1, Mercy Bassey, told journalists on ground that about 735 voters were expected at the unit but only a few had appeared since voting began around 8:30am, expressing optimism that turnout would improve before the close of voting.

Bassey, however, noted with high excitement that the polling unit and its environs were very calm and orderly, expressing hope that the atmosphere would remain peaceful. At the Polling Unit 2, Assistant Presiding Officer, Moses Ibrahim, disclosed that the unit had about 767 registered voters but also recorded low turnout of voters, as only a small number of voters cast ballots as the exercise continued.

Amupitan hails conduct of election

Yesterday’s Area Council election in Abuja Nigeria Federal Capital (FCT) was generally peaceful with no reported cases of thuggery and other electoral malpractices. Also, there were no glitches witnessed in any Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) deployed for the elections.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, who monitored the election at some polling units in Garki, Wuse and some parts of the Abuja City Centre, praised the peaceful conduct of the elections, and said it was a sign of democratic development in the country.

He also said all the BVAS deployed for the conduct of polls worked perfectly. However, the election was marred by low voter turnout and late arrival of election materials. In some polling units visited by Sunday Telegraph, INEC officials arrived late.

At Nyanya polling unit 017, voting started by 9:30am with only two-party agents on ground. There was however a full complement of security men on ground. INEC officials at polling units 091, 076, 078, complained of delay in releasing election materials.

Voting began in these polling units by 10:30 am. There were no security personnel on ground at polling unit 078. An INEC official explained that they had to leave because the policemen were ready to accompany them.

Poll complies with operational order- CP

FCT Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, CP Abayomi Shogunle, said the poll was in compliance with the operational security order. “Based on the plans we have on ground, we don’t expect any disturbance.

From what we have seen since accreditation and voting started, everything is going on as expected,” he said. The CP explained that the heavy security presence was deliberate, but not a reaction to threats, and it was designed both to guarantee safety and discourage potential troublemakers.

“The deployment serves two purposes; to ensure the exercise proceeds without hindrance and to deter anyone who may want to disrupt the election,” he said. A presiding officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, blamed the low voter turnout on loss of confidence in the electoral process by Nigerians.

He told Sunday Telegraph at FEPA Quarters, Karu that less than 15 persons voted in over four hours since the voting started. “I think the situation has to do with loss of trust in the electoral system. Voters feel that there is no need coming out to vote when winners have been decided by entrenched forces,” he said.

A party agent, who gave his name simply as Desmond, stated that, “the enthusiasm that came with the 2023 general elections, and the disappointing outcome, is the result of what we have in this FCT Area council poll.”