Low turnout and vote buying marred the Saturday council election in the uFederal Capital Territory, FCT, with many residents expressing disillusionment on the entire process.
many eligible voters stayed away from the polls, citing frustration with the political process and a lack of trust in the electoral system.
From Jikwoyi and Karu to Bwari, Gwagwalada, Nyanya, Mpape, Deidei, Kuje, Kwali, Lugbe, Durumi, and beyond, turnout remained abysmally low.
The exercise was also heavily criticized, especially by opposition figures for lacking transparency, with allegations of vote buying and selling taking the center stage in some parts of the territory.
Aside from the pervasive voter apathy, the election was also overshadowed by logistical failures, technical malfunctions, disenfranchisement claims, sporadic violence, and missing party logos on some ballots.
Vote buying
Despite warnings by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies, there were allegations of vote buying in some parts of Gwagwalada, Bwari and other Area Councils.
The situation, according to agents representing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Young Progressives Party, YPP, at the Better Life, UBE and Kotangora polling units in Gwagwalada were worrisome.
The agents alleged that some All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftains stormed several polling units with cash to induce voters.
DAILY POST reports that parts of Bwari Area Council, including Ushafa, Peyi, among others also witnessed such unscrupulous activities by party agents.
A YPP agent, Momoh Abdul told our correspondent that the ruling party members were hellbent in the alleged plan to rig the election in favour of their candidates in the six area councils.
He alleged that votes were being bought for amounts ranging from N500 to N3,000, depending on negotiation between party representatives and voters.
Violence
Violence was recorded in some polling units across the territory, especially the Bwari Area Council.
DAILY POST reports that voters in Bwari town near Zenith Bank/JAMB office fled when violence erupted in the area over alleged vote buying.
One Mrs. Omeza reported live on Nigeria Info 95.1 FM that security officers fired teargas on both voters and some journalists covering the exercise.
“They teargassed us, they didn’t want us to vote. People are crying, people that are fasting are being teargassed and harassed.
“They just managed to come out, all of them have gone back and they don’t want to come out anymore”, she alleged.
Similarly, in Kuje’s Junior Secondary School Kayada, an officer of the Department of State Services, DSS, escaped death after over 50 youths violently attacked him.
He was reportedly manhandled for over five minutes without security aid.
He alleged that his cell phone was seriously damaged while his wallet was stolen during the attack.
Also in LEA Primary school Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, violence broke out when voters were allegedly sharing money.
Our correspondent, who witnessed the drama, reports that supporters of the Zenith Labour Party also clashed with their APC counterpart over alleged intimidation.
Wike’s presence intimidated voters
Some residents of the territory alleged that the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike deliberately stormed some of the polling units to intimidate opposition.
One of the voters, who is also a member of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Mohammed Salisu told DAILY POST that the Minister “was moving from one polling unit to another to intimidate voters”.
“Why was he going to polling units all in the name of monitoring elections? Is he eligible? He is not an eligible voter so what is he doing in polling units?
“Anywhere he goes, you will see the APC supporters screaming and making all kinds of notices to intimate people that aren’t voting for them. This is not right.
“It was another campaign because wherever he goes, he talks to his supporters. This is not right but those who should act have been bought over”, Mohammed lamented.
Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, the final results of the exercise are being awaited.
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