The Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been characterised by Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failure, low voters turnout and late arrival of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in some areas.
Our correspondent gathered that, election is currently taking place in over 1000 polling units across the six area councils that make up the nation’s capital with 478 candidates vying for Six Chairmanships and 62 Councillorships.
The election is being held in six area councils: Abaji, Kwali, Bwari , Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), however, 14 political parties are participating in AMAC.
INEC staff were late to voting centers, as observed by our correspondent who visited polling units within AMAC.
While adding that, the ongoing election in the council is also witnessing a low voters turnout.
The story is also the same in Gwagwalada area council, where our correspondent reside and observed before moving to AMAC.
She also reported that the election in the council is also being frustrated by BVAS failure, which is making the accreditation and voting process slow.
Our correspondent gathered that there are incidences of
vote buying in AMAC and Abaji.
Party agents were also seen clustering around and subtly wooing voters across other polling units in the council.
