Voting has ended in the area council polls holding in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja today, April 9. Residents of the FCT, trooped out to vote their candidates of choice in virtually all areas visited by the NAIJ.com team monitoring the election. There were however low voters turnout is several polling units especially in the Abuja municipal council.
The elections were held in six area councils: Abuja municipal council, Gwagwalada, Abaji, Kuje, Bwari and Kwali. The positions being vied for are councillors’ and chairmanship position.
For a total of 1,020,799 registered voters, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deployed 9,933 permanent and ad hoc staff for today’s polls. The staff consist of 9,375 presiding officers, 62 supervising presiding officers, 62 collation officers, and six returning officers with 428 reserves. A total of 44 observer groups approved by INEC monitored the conduct of the elections. Similarly, the Nigeria police deployed 13,000 of its personnel to provide security during the exercise. Restriction of movement within the capital city was imposed by the police from 8am to 4pm. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were the main contenders in the elections. Read our coverage below: 2:00pm: Voting ends across the councils
1: 08pm: Heavy down pour disrupts election at Area 1 polling unit. 12: 56pm: At a poling unit in Galadimawa, voters were seen struggling with packs of food distributed by the PDP. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter ‘Stomach infrastructure’ by the PDP at Galadimawa. A man struggling with a pack of rice and fish distributed by the PDP at Galadimawa 12: 01pm: Impressive voters turnout at Passali parish polling unit, Chibiri, Kuje area council.
11: 59am: Ungwan Ayaura, the officer in charge of Ungwan Ayaura (polling unit 003) said election materials on time adding that the three card readers were working perfectly. “I, personally, I have registered up to 200 voters, my colleagues also have done a lot of registered many people too,” she said. David Kolo, the divisional police officer in charge of Ungwan Ayaura said the election process has been going on well. “Apart from the initial hitches when people did not want to be on the queue, things here are moving well. As far as I am concerned we can say the election is very peaceful in this area,” Kolo said. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter An INEC official educates a voter how to properly fold the ballot paper 11: 30am: Fayo Emmanuel, the electoral officer in Abaji told NAIJ.com that there are 56 polling units and 116 voting points in Abaji. Emmanuel who commended voters for their peaceful conduct so far noted that an additional eight units were added as supplementary to the main polling units. “These ones are not polling units per say, but they act as one to cushion the speed of the job. There are no hitches at the moment, the little issues we had earlier, we have resolved them, everything is going on well,” he said. 11: 02am: Accreditation and voting is ongoing at Naharati Sabo ward, Abaji are council of the FCT. However, women complained of voters ‘jumping queue’ to get accredited. “They are all jumping the line, See them! All of them are saying they have a babies. We all have babies too,” she said.
Woman voting her candidate of choice at Abaji 10:00am: As at 10 a.m INEC officials were just arriving Tundun Wada Village, Kabusa, Lugbe (polling unit 009A). Corp members complained of lack of glue to paste voters list. Pap came in handy!
A resident of the area carefully checking if his name is on the list 9: 50am: Accreditation and voting commenced simultaneously at the University of Abuja/Tukunya secretariat quarters (polling unit 003).
INEC officers at the unit also confirmed that the four card readers for accreditation are all functioning well. 9: 15am: Accreditation begins at Karon-Majiji however, the presiding officer who is a national youth corp member said he had difficulties in communicating with the locals. He had to get an interpreter. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter The Presiding officer speaking to the locals through an interpreter 8: 46am: Simon Omotade, the presiding officer at CBN quarters (polling unit 18) told Naij.com that she expects residents to turn out and exercise their franchise.
“As you can see, my team is ready. We are prepared for the elections,” Omotade said in high spirits. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Youth corp members and security officer at polling unit 18, CBN quarters, Abuja 7: 45am: Electoral materials arrives Karon-majiji (polling unit 001) 7: 18 am: Motor cycle (popularly called Okada) riders queue to get fuel in Kubwa, one of the fastes growing satellite towns in the FCT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Okada riders waiting patiently to get fuel in Kubwa
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