APC in Early Lead as FCT Results Trickle in 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) established an early advantage in several polling units during Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, as results began appearing on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Results Viewing Portal (IReV).

As of 10:15 p.m., figures uploaded from sampled polling units in Kwali Area Council showed the APC with 2,726 votes, ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which polled 2,104 votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) had 180 votes.

In Kuje, the APC recorded 615 votes, followed by the PDP with 393 votes. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) secured 146 votes, the ADC 24 votes, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) five votes.

Results from the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) indicated the APC garnered 2,520 votes, while the ADC polled 750 votes and the PDP 115 votes.

However, in Gwagwalada, the PDP led with 2,019 votes as of 10:15 p.m., while the APC trailed with 1,779 votes and the ADC recorded 115 votes.

The election, conducted to fill six chairmanship seats and 62 councillorship positions across AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abaji, and Kwali, witnessed generally low turnout, with civil society observers reporting widespread voter apathy.

At Polling Unit 006 in the City Centre Registration Area of AMAC, only seven voters had cast ballots as of 9:50 a.m. Similarly, at Kubwa Polling Unit 053, just 23 of 464 registered voters were accredited, reflecting less than five per cent participation.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room observed that many residents in parts of AMAC continued with routine activities during voting hours. Its Co-Convenor, Celestine Odo, noted that while queues formed later in Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Abaji, overall participation remained low.

Yiaga Africa also cited weak turnout despite a largely peaceful atmosphere. Its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, pointed to late commencement of voting and missing materials in some locations as administrative lapses that affected the process.

Beyond voter apathy, allegations of vote buying emerged in parts of AMAC. The Situation Room reported that votes were allegedly exchanged for up to ₦10,000 in some polling units in Gidan Mangoro ward.

“Vote buying was observed in many polling units visited. In some places, it was openly done,” Odo said.

Operational challenges were also recorded. Voting at Durumi I reportedly began around 11:00 a.m. following delayed arrival of officials, while some voters at Durumi II protested the absence of their names on the displayed register.

Yiaga Africa further highlighted confusion arising from the redistribution of voters to newly created polling units without sufficient prior notice.

As collation progressed, uploaded results showed the APC performing strongly in parts of AMAC, including Garki and Kpegyi polling units, reinforcing its early lead in the chairmanship race. The ADC secured victories in some units, while the PDP posted wide margins in select centres in Bwari, underscoring competitive contests across councils.

The ADC criticised the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, for visiting polling units during active voting, describing his presence as interference capable of intimidating voters.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the minister’s movement around polling centres, especially after announcing a movement restriction ahead of the poll, amounted to direct interference.

“The African Democratic Congress strongly condemns the movement of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, around various polling units in Abuja under the guise of monitoring.

“Wike’s monitoring exercise, after unilaterally imposing a curfew on potential voters, represents direct interference in the election,” the statement read.

The party argued that as a cabinet minister and non-registered voter in the FCT, Mr Wike had no constitutional role in the electoral process. It also alleged voter suppression and collaboration between APC agents and some security personnel in parts of the territory, urging its supporters to remain vigilant.

Responding, the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, dismissed the allegations, insisting that Mr Wike acted within his rights.

He said the minister, as chief security officer of the FCT, was entitled to monitor the elections and did not breach any law.

“What did his (Wike’s) movement cause to their party? Did it make their candidates lose? Did they not see Omoyele Sowore and VDM (Martins Vincent Otse) also moving around?

“Why did they not condemn those ones who have no constitutional rights, but instead they were making noise about Wike’s movement?

“The minister is the chief security officer of the FCT. Therefore, he reserves the right to monitor the elections as it is part of his responsibilities,” Olayinka said.

Meanwhile, INEC continued uploading results to the IReV portal. As of 9:30 p.m., 1,030 results had been uploaded from 1,401 polling units in AMAC; 119 from 201 in Kwali; 147 from 262 in Kuje; 227 from 338 in Gwagwalada; 280 from 485 in Bwari; and 72 from 135 in Abaji.