FCT Poll: Low voter turnout in Kuje as accreditation, voting begins 

Accreditation and voting have commenced across polling units in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), amid noticeable low turnout of voters.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the early arrival of electoral materials and staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at various polling units facilitated the start of the exercise.

INEC officials and materials were said to have arrived at several polling units as early as 7:30 a.m.

Polling units visited included 035 behind the Secretariat, 030 at Kauna Plaza, and 003, 004, 026, and 032 at Kayarda Primary School, among others.

NAN also reported that agents from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), and African Democratic Congress were present to monitor the exercise.

At Kauna Plaza polling unit 030, despite the early arrival of materials, voter turnout was low.

In an interview with NAN, the APC agent, Mr. Abraham Silas, blamed the voter apathy on the malfunctioning of BVAS.

“Voters were told to wait till 10 a.m. when the BVAS was designed to start working,” Silas explained, adding that some had to go home, hoping to return by 10 a.m.

The PDP agent, Mr. Ado Shekwolo, however, expressed satisfaction with the security situation, saying he hoped the election would be hitch-free and credible.

Also speaking, a voter, Mr. Dauda Attah, expressed optimism that he would have the chance of casting his vote for his preferred candidate and that the election would be peaceful.

Attah blamed the low turnout on the configuration of the BVAS to begin operation by 10 a.m.

A voter at polling unit 003, Kayarda Primary School, Hajiya Fatimah Adeoye, also expressed dismay at the low turnout, while an APC agent, Mr. Sani Mohammed, attributed the situation to the general voter attitude.

According to Mohammed, “voters tend to develop a nonchalant attitude to council elections than national elections.”

Earlier, the Assistant Presiding Officer at Kauna Plaza, Mrs. Jamila Sabo, described the situation as peaceful.

Sabo noted that the electoral materials arrived early enough and that there were no security challenges.

FCT Poll: Low voter turnout in Kuje as accreditation, voting begins