The Federal Capital Territory Area Council election held on Saturday, February 21, has been marked by low voter participation, with many residents staying away from polling units amid tight security measures and movement restrictions that created widespread confusion and apprehension.
Armed security personnel were deployed across Abuja, manning junctions, conducting searches, and patrolling neighbourhoods around voting centres throughout the day.
The heavy presence, meant to guarantee a smooth electoral process, instead appeared to deter many eligible voters from stepping out.
Polling units visited in Kubwa, Bwari, and Gwagwalada recorded significantly fewer voters compared to previous elections, with INEC officials at several locations left waiting for voters who never showed up.
The situation was not helped by the curfew imposed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, which restricted movement from 8 pm on Friday through to 6 pm on Saturday.
Many residents said they were unsure whether they were free to move to their polling units, and chose to remain at home rather than risk running into trouble with security agents.
“People were not sure if they could come out freely. Many decided to stay back to avoid any issues with security agents,” one voter who declined to give his name said.
In Nyanya and Gwagwalada, patrol vehicles moved through the streets while armed officers kept watch around voting centres. While no major violence was reported, the tense atmosphere did little to encourage participation.
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Election observers on the ground confirmed that compliance with movement restrictions was high but noted that it came at the expense of voter enthusiasm.
The restrictions effectively kept people indoors rather than driving them to polling units.
Late arrival of INEC officials at some locations added to the challenges, with voting starting behind schedule at several units even as the overall turnout remained disappointing.
The poor showing validated concerns raised before the election by multiple groups.
First Daily reports that the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of over 70 organisations, had warned that conflicting announcements on movement restrictions could confuse voters.
The coalition also recalled that turnout in the 2022 FCT elections had dropped as low as 5.09 per cent in some councils.
Furthermore, the African Democratic Congress had also, accusing the government of deliberately imposing an early curfew to suppress participation after sensing it could not win the elections.
More than 1.6 million voters were registered across 2,822 polling units, with 570 candidates competing for 68 seats including six chairmanship positions and 62 councillorship roles across the territory’s six area councils.