FCT Polls: APC leads PDP, ADC in titanic battle for Abuja, dominates in Rivers, Kano bye-elections

Voter apathy, late commencement of voting and allegations of vote-trading yesterday, shaped the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja Area Council elections and bye-elections in Kano and Rivers states, even as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies described the exercises as peaceful and orderly.

Across the FCT, observers reported delayed openings in several polling units, low turnout in most centres, and incidents of vote-buying ranging from ¦ 1,000 to ¦ 10,000 per voter. Yet, there were no widespread cases of violence, and voting proceeded calmly in most areas monitored.

At press time, the All Progressives Congress, APC, according early results on the INEC Result viewing Portal, IreV, was having the upper hand in the titanic battle for Abuja. It won some polling units in AMAC, Garki, Gwarimpa, and Nyanya among others. On the other hand, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, jumped into an early lead in Gwagwalada.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, which currently occupies the sole Abuja Senate seat through Senator Ireti Kingibe showed promise in Kubwa and Bwari where it won some polling units. The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike of the PDP, who is backing APC candidates in the polls, was locked in war of words with Senator Kingibe as voting progressed, boasting that the outcome of the election would show “who is who.”

In Kano, in the absence of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, powered by Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the APC anchored by Governor Abba Yusuf, was coasting home to victory at press time. Governor Yusuf recently left the NNPP for the APC

In like manner, the APC was dominating proceedings in Rivers where the PDP, ADC and LP were not on the ballot.
The polls were for six area councils and councillorship seats of Abuja, two state assembly seats in Rivres and two state assembly slots in Kano.

CSO Situation Room: Votes sold for N10,000 in Abuja

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of over 70 civil society organisations, in its interim report jointly signed by its two Co-Conveners, Mma Odi and Celestine Odo decried what it described as “relatively late” commencement of polls in many FCT polling units, with an average opening time of 9:15 a.m.

The group said vote buying was observed in several locations, including PU008, 056, 057 and 058 in Gidan Mangoro Ward of AMAC, where votes were allegedly traded for as much as ¦ 10,000.

“In some other places, vote buying was discreet but still observed,” the group stated.

While acknowledging early commencement in parts of Kwali Area Council, the Situation Room said late arrival of INEC officials and materials delayed voting in other locations.

Delta APC conducts peaceful LGA Congress, elects executives by consensus
It also noted confusion among voters whose polling units were relocated at short notice. Though some voters received text notifications from INEC, many could not verify their new locations before election day.

On accreditation, the group said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, performed efficiently in most polling units, with an average turnaround time of about one minute. However, isolated malfunctions were reported in parts of Gwagwalada and Navy Town.

Security presence was described as “significant and professional,” with personnel drawn from the police, civil defence, immigration and fire services. In a few locations where minor intimidation occurred, security agents swiftly restored order.

The group, however, lamented the absence of assistive materials such as braille ballot guides and magnifying glasses in most units, including Karimajiji disability colony.

Yiaga Africa Flags Vote Buying, Low Turnout
Election observer group, Yiaga Africa, also commended the peaceful conduct of the polls but decried incidents of vote buying and low voter turnout.

In a preliminary statement signed by its Executive Director, Samson Itodo, and Director of Programmes, Cynthia Mbamalu, the group said voters were generally able to cast ballots without widespread disruption.

However, it raised concerns over inducement of voters and urged security agencies to enforce provisions of the Electoral Act criminalising vote trading.

Mixed turnout, delays in FCT
In Abuja, late arrival of polling officials marred early voting in Apo, Lugbe, Nyanya and Karu.

At the Federal Government Boys College, Apo, voting had yet to commence as of 9:34 a.m. Similar delays were recorded in Lugbe and Nyanya, where voters who arrived as early as 7 a.m. waited for hours.

Conversely, areas such as Kurudu and Army Estate witnessed early deployment of materials and relatively higher turnout.
At some polling units, voters protested missing names on the register, alleging possible manipulation. INEC officials promised to investigate.

Party agents accuse APC of inducement
Tension flared briefly at Polling Unit 035 in Nyanya after agents of opposition parties accused the APC of offering N1,000 to voters.

Police and civil defence operatives reinforced security following heated exchanges. An opposition agent alleged that suspected intermediaries approached voters in the queue with cash offers.

The confrontation subsided after security intervention, and voting continued.

Allegations of vote buying have remained a recurring feature of elections in Nigeria, despite legal sanctions prescribed in the Electoral Act.

Process orderly, efficient, peaceful – Amupitan

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the FCT elections, describing them as orderly and peaceful.

“You can see for yourself that the election is orderly and very efficient. The BVAS is working effectively,” he said after monitoring polling units in AMAC.

According to him, accreditation took less than five seconds in many locations. He disclosed that as of 10:30 a.m., 99 per cent of polling units had opened.

On the reported arrest of a journalist, the chairman said INEC intervened promptly, leading to the individual’s release.
INEC pledged further improvements ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike, Kingibe trade words

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, dismissed criticisms over election-eve movement restrictions, insisting the directive had presidential approval.

“At the end of the election, when the results come out, then we will know who is who,” he said, in apparent response to comments attributed to FCT Senator Ireti Kingibe.

Wike noted low turnout in the city centre but described participation in satellite towns as impressive. He commended INEC and security agencies for maintaining peace.

Massive security deployment

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed a massive deployment of personnel across the FCT.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had approved the operational order, officials said, to deter potential disruptions and ensure smooth conduct.

Police authorities assured residents of adequate security, urging voters to exercise their civic rights without fear.

Rivers: Low turnout in Ahoada, Khana

In Rivers State, low turnout characterised the State House of Assembly bye-elections in Ahoada East Constituency II and Khana Constituency II.

INEC conducted the polls to fill vacant seats in the state legislature. Though voting commenced around 9 a.m. in most units, only a handful of voters turned out as at early afternoon.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, described the exercise as peaceful and orderly but expressed concern over voter apathy.

He attributed the low turnout to factors beyond INEC’s control, noting that the commission had carried out extensive sensitisation.

Major opposition parties, including the PDP, ADC and LP, were absent from the contest, leaving APC and smaller parties to slug it out.

APC candidate Napoleon Ukalikpe, after voting in Ahoada East, praised what he described as “massive turnout” and peaceful conduct.

Kano: Electoral officers wait for voters
In Kano State, electoral officers were seen waiting for voters in several polling units in Ungogo and Kano Municipal constituencies.

Only a handful of voters had cast ballots hours after accreditation began in some locations.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, Amb. Abdu Zango, attributed the low turnout to Ramadan and public perception that the election involved limited candidates.

“As far as security is concerned, it is no issue. It’s peaceful and violence-free,” he said.

Eighteen candidates from nine political parties contested the two vacant seats created by the death of former lawmakers.

PDP’s bright spot in Bwari

In Bwari Area Council of the FCT, PDP presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim delivered his polling unit for the party, recording an overwhelming victory at Big Cele Settlement, Dutse Alhaji.

Official results from Polling Unit 076 showed the PDP winning decisively in both chairmanship and councillorship contests.

Official results from Polling Unit 076 in Big Cele Settlement showed a commanding performance by the PDP in both the chairmanship and councillorship elections.

In the chairmanship contest, the PDP secured 74 votes, while the APC polled 2 votes and the ADC also garnered 2 votes.
Similarly, in the councillorship election, the PDP recorded 75 votes, with the APC scoring 4 votes and the ADC polling 3 votes. Other political parties failed to secure any votes at the unit.

We took FCT Polls like a national election – APC

Meanwhile, the ruling APC has stated that its intensive preparation for the FCT Area Council elections mirrored the scale of a national contest, leaving no room for the opposition to contest the eventual outcome.

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Secretary of the APC Campaign Council, Benjamin Kalu declared that the party’s victory would be a result of hard work and a “popular campaign” driven by the administration’s infrastructure record.

Representing Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq who chairs the 138-member APC FCT Campaign Council, Kalu alongside the Minister of State in the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmood and other members of the council conducted an extensive observation tour across the capital

The delegation visited key locations, including the Presidential Villa Polling Unit, the Agura Hotel axis, and the Garki village polling unit of the APC AMAC candidate Christopher Maikalangu.

Addressing the media at the APC Situation Room domiciled in the Kwara Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Kalu expressed confidence that the party’s sophisticated feedback structure, which monitored over 2,000 polling units, demonstrated a deep commitment to democratic accountability.

“We didn’t take it like it is just a municipal or council election. We took it like it is a national election, with all structures in place as a serious-minded party. Because our infrastructure campaigned for us, I don’t think if we win today, anybody will have anything to complain about, because we have really worked hard”, he declared.

Rivers bye-election orderly, peaceful – INEC REC

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC in Rivers State, Prof. Gabriel Yomere, described the state House of Assembly Constituencies bye-elections fot Ahoada East and Khana in Rivers as peaceful and orderly.

Yomere made the remarks while speaking to newsmen during an assessment tour of voting activities in some wards 8 and 3 in Khana constituency II, in Rivers.

He stated that the exercise had progressed without incidents of violence, describing the development as commendable and reassuring.

Commenting on voter apathy observed in some areas, Yomere said that INEC should not be blamed, stressing that the commission fulfilled its responsibility by carrying out adequate publicity and necessary preparations ahead of the election.

Yomere expressed concern over the voter apathy, but commended efforts made by INEC and civil society organisations in the sensitisation of voters before the election.

The PDP, ADC, and LP were missing in the February 21, bye-election elections in Rivers State. The parties contesting the two seats are AA, APC, NNPP, YPP, ZLP.

The APC fileded Wike’s loyalists – Napoleon Ukalikpe, for the Ahoada-East Constituency II seat, Mrs. Bulabari Henrietta Loolo, widow of the former house members is for the Khana Constituency II.

Delta APC conducts peaceful LGA congress, elects executives by consensus

All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, Saturday, successfully conducted its Local Government Area (LGA) Congress across the 25 council areas of the state, with party executives emerging through consensus in a peaceful and well-coordinated exercise.

The congress, which recorded impressive turnout, was monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, party officials and members of the media.

Members of the APC National Committee assigned to Delta State were earlier received at the party secretariat in Asaba by the State Chairman, Elder Omeni Sobotie.

He commended the committee for the successful conduct of the ward congress and urged them to adhere strictly to party guidelines in overseeing the LGA Congress.

Speaking on behalf of the committee, its Secretary, Hon. Simon Atigwe assured members that their mission was to ensure a transparent and inclusive process that would strengthen unity and internal harmony within the party.

Atigwe who spoke to newsmen at the congress venue in Asaba, Oshimili South Local Government Area, after monitoring the exercise across the three senatorial districts, expressed satisfaction with the level of participation and the orderly conduct of members in all the Local Government Areas the committee visited.

He described Delta as a special state for the APC, noting the peaceful atmosphere and adequate security arrangements.
Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Council, Dr. Kelvin Ezenyili, described the exercise as rancour-free, stressing that the executives emerged through sincere consensus and affirmation.

In Oshimili North at Akwukwu-Igbo, party leaders including Hon. Frank Esenwa, Hon. Innocent Esewezie, Chief Patrick Ukah and Mr. Olisa Ifeajika lauded the peaceful conduct of the congress, describing the high turnout as a reflection of stakeholders’ endorsement of the consensus arrangement.

In Uvwie Local Government Area, Sylvester Oghenewede emerged as Chairman of the APC. In his acceptance speech, he pledged to foster unity and strengthen the party’s structure. The outgoing chairman, Wilfred Emeleji, congratulated the new executive and assured them of his support.

Meanwhile, Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State took a bold step towards fulfilling its promise of tripling its votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election with the emergence of Prince Dotun Oladipupo as the new chairman of the All Progressives Congress APC for the local government area.

A chieftain of the party and former Council Chairman in the åocal government, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan, made the declaration shortly after the conclusion of the local government congress of the party held at Olomi Primary School, Saturday.

While congratulating the new chairman and his executives, Olaosebikan said that he was pleased that the party was able to elect a popular chairman who is not just competent but capable and with the great leadership skills required to improve the performance of the party in all areas.

The former council boss, who had earlier pledged that the local government would triple its votes in 2027, said that the election of Prince Oladipupo would make the realisation of the pledge quite easy

His words: “ Our new chairman is a square peg in a square hole. He is a seasoned politician, a thoroughbred party man, an excellent team player, and a man of the people. He is competent, capable, and has all it takes to lead the party effectively and significantly improve the performance of our party, particularly at the polls.

Olaosebikan thanked all the APC leaders and members in the local government for their support and steadfastness in ensuring that capable and committed party members were elected into the executive.

Elected along with Prince Dotun Oladipupo were Alhaji Mumeen Oriade, Secretary; Kikelomo Akinleye, Woman Leader; Tunde Garuba, Youth Leader; Saheed Akilapa, Publicity Secretary, amongst others.

– Culled from Vanguard News Nigeria